Shloka 12

Nārāyaṇasya Guhya-nāmāni Niruktāni (Etymologies of Nārāyaṇa’s Secret Epithets) / नारायणस्य गुह्यनामानि निरुक्तानि

Devanagari script

आनुृ्‌शंस्यं परो धर्म: क्षमा च परमं बलम्‌ | आत्मज्ञानं परं ज्ञानं न सत्याद्‌ विद्यते परम्‌

Transliteration

Ānṛśaṁsyaṁ paro dharmaḥ kṣamā ca paramaṁ balam | ātmajñānaṁ paraṁ jñānaṁ na satyād vidyate param ||

Translation

Wika ni Nārada: “Ang habag ay ang pinakamataas na dharma, at ang pagpapatawad ang pinakadakilang lakas. Ang kaalaman sa Sarili (Ātman) ang pinakadakilang kaalaman, at walang hihigit sa katotohanan.”

Word by Word

• आनृशंस्यम्: compassion, non-cruelty, kindness
• आनृशंस्यम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: आनृशंस्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

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

• धर्मः: dharma, righteousness
• धर्मः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• क्षमा: forbearance, forgiveness
• क्षमा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षमा
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

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

• परमम्: supreme, greatest
• परमम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• बलम्: strength, power
• बलम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• आत्मज्ञानम्: knowledge of the self
• आत्मज्ञानम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मज्ञान
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

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

• ज्ञानम्: knowledge
• ज्ञानम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• सत्यात्: from/than truth
• सत्यात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• विद्यते: exists, is found
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Atmanepada

• परम्: higher, superior
• परम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nārada

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse ranks key virtues: compassion/non-cruelty as the highest dharma, forgiveness as the greatest strength, Self-knowledge as the highest knowledge, and truth as the unsurpassed foundation of all virtues.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction-focused setting, Nārada delivers a concise ethical and spiritual summary, emphasizing inner virtues and truth as guiding principles for righteous living after the devastation of war.