Shloka 49

अध्याय १६ — शङ्कर-उमा-वरदानम् तथा तण्डि-स्तुतिः (Śaṅkara–Umā Boon-Granting and Taṇḍi’s Hymn)

Devanagari script

ऋतं सत्य परं ब्रह्म स्तुवन्त्याथर्वणा द्विजा: । यज्ञस्य परमा योनि: पतिश्नायं पर: स्मृत:

Transliteration

ṛtaṃ satyaṃ paraṃ brahma stuvanty ātharvaṇā dvijāḥ | yajñasya paramā yoniḥ patiśnāyaṃ paraḥ smṛtaḥ ||

Translation

వాయువు పలికెను—అథర్వణ ద్విజ యాజకులు ఋతం, సత్యం, పరబ్రహ్మను స్తుతిస్తారు. ఆయనే యజ్ఞానికి పరమ యోని (మూలకారణం) మరియు ఆయనే పరమ ప్రభువు—వందనీయుడు—అని స్మరింపబడెను.

Word by Word

• ऋतम्: cosmic order / right
• ऋतम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋत
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• सत्यम्: truth
• सत्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• ब्रह्म: Brahman / the Absolute
• ब्रह्म: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• स्तुवन्ति: praise
• स्तुवन्ति: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्तु
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• अथर्वणाः: Atharvan priests / followers of Atharvaveda
• अथर्वणाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अथर्वण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• द्विजाः: twice-born (Brahmins etc.)
• द्विजाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• यज्ञस्य: of the sacrifice
• यज्ञस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• परमा: supreme
• परमा: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• योनिः: source / womb / origin
• योनिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: योनि
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• पतिश्नायम्: the (rite/act) called patishnāya (a sacrificial/ritual term)
• पतिश्नायम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पतिश्नाय
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• परः: supreme / higher
• परः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• स्मृतः: is remembered / is regarded
• स्मृतः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ
• Form: kta (past passive participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• वायुदेव (Vāyu)
• द्विज (dvija)
• आथर्वण (Ātharvaṇa)
• ऋत (Ṛta)
• सत्य (Satya)
• ब्रह्म (Brahman)
• यज्ञ (Yajña)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse links ethical truthfulness (satya) and cosmic order (ṛta) with the supreme Brahman, presenting Brahman as the ultimate ground of yajña. It implies that ritual is not merely external performance but is rooted in truth and the sustaining order of reality.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyu is speaking and cites the Vedic (Atharvan) tradition: the twice-born priests hymn ṛta, satya, and the supreme Brahman, affirming Brahman as the highest origin of sacrifice and the supreme Lord worthy of praise.