Shloka 16

Cāturhotra as Inner Sacrifice (Yoga-Yajña) and Nārāyaṇa Recitation

Devanagari script

ऋषचश्नाप्यत्र शंसन्ति नारायणविदो जना: । नारायणाय देवाय यदविन्दन्‌ पशून्‌ पुरा

Transliteration

ṛṣayaś cāpy atra śaṃsanti nārāyaṇavido janāḥ | nārāyaṇāya devāya yad avindan paśūn purā ||

Translation

Ang mga tunay na nakakakilala kay Nārāyaṇa ay binabanggit din dito ang patotoo ng mga rishi: noong unang panahon, upang makamtan ang banal na Nārāyaṇa, ang mga debotong lalaki ay nagpasuko ng “mga hayop” sa kanilang kapangyarihan—ibig sabihin, napagtagumpayan nila ang magugulong pandama. Inilalarawan ng taludtod ang pag-unlad na espirituwal bilang disiplina ng asal: ang debosyon ay hindi pinatutunayan ng pag-aangkin, kundi ng pagpipigil at panloob na pamamahala na iniuukol sa Diyos.

Word by Word

• ऋचः: Vedic verses (ṛks)
• ऋचः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋच् (प्रातिपदिक: ऋच्/ऋचा)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• श्नापि: they obtain / they reach
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्ना (धातु)
• Form: Present, 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र

• शंसन्ति: they praise / they proclaim
• Type: Verb
• Root: शंस् (धातु)
• Form: Present, 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• नारायणविदः: knowers of Nārāyaṇa
• नारायणविदः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारायणविद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• जनाः: people
• जनाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• नारायणाय: to/for Nārāyaṇa
• नारायणाय: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• देवाय: to/for the god
• देवाय: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• यत्: which (that which)
• यत्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अविन्दन्: they found / they obtained
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (लभे/विन्दते) (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• पशून्: animals
• पशून्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पशु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• पुरा: formerly / in ancient times
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा

Speaker

ब्राह्मण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nārāyaṇa
• Ṛṣis (seers)
• Nārāyaṇa-vids (knowers of Nārāyaṇa)
• Paśus (animals/senses)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Devotion to Nārāyaṇa is validated through disciplined mastery of the senses; the ‘animals’ to be subdued are the sense-forces that otherwise drag the mind outward. The verse appeals to ṛṣi-authority to present self-restraint as a form of inner sacrifice directed to God.

What is happening in the narrative?

A brāhmaṇa speaker supports a teaching about yoga-like sacrifice by citing what the seers and Nārāyaṇa-knowers say: in ancient times devotees, seeking Nārāyaṇa, ‘obtained/subdued the paśus’—understood as bringing the senses under control as part of spiritual practice.