Shloka 39

Āścarya-kathana: Brāhmaṇa–Nāga Dialogue on Sūrya (Vivasvat) and the ‘Second Sun’ Phenomenon

Devanagari script

नासिक्ये जन्मनि पुरा ब्रह्मण: पार्थिवोत्तम | धर्ममेतं स्वयं देवो हरिनारायण: प्रभु:

Transliteration

nāsikye janmani purā brahmaṇaḥ pārthivottama | dharmam etaṃ svayaṃ devo harinārāyaṇaḥ prabhuḥ ||

Translation

వైశంపాయనుడు పలికెను—ఓ రాజశ్రేష్ఠా! పూర్వకాలంలో నాసిక్య జన్మలో, ఈ ధర్మాన్ని స్వయంగా దేవుడైన ప్రభువు హరినారాయణుడే ఉపదేశించెను।

Word by Word

नnot

आसिक्येin (the) Āsikya (lineage/region/name)

जन्मनिin (a) birth

पुराformerly, in olden times

ब्रह्मणःof Brahman / of Brahmā

पार्थिवोत्तमःthe best of kings

धर्मम्dharma, law, duty

एतम्this

स्वयम्himself

देवःthe god

हरिःHari (Vishnu)

नारायणःNārāyaṇa

प्रभुःthe lord

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Hari Nārāyaṇa

Nāsikya

Brahmā

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse grounds the teaching of dharma in divine authority: the ethical rule being discussed is not merely human opinion but is presented as having been taught directly by Hari Nārāyaṇa in an earlier context, strengthening its normative force for rulers and society.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana, continuing his narration, addresses the king as ‘best of kings’ and introduces a precedent from a former birth at Nāsikya, stating that the dharma under discussion was personally taught by the Lord Hari Nārāyaṇa.