Shloka 46

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

Devanagari script

बहिंषद्धयश्न सम्प्राप्त: सामवेदान्तगं द्विजम्‌ । ज्येष्ठ नामाभिविख्यातं॑ ज्येष्ठसामव्रतो हरि:

Transliteration

Vaiśampāyana uvāca | Barhiṣad-dhayaśnaḥ samprāptaḥ Sāmavedānta-gaṃ dvijam | Jyeṣṭha-nāmābhivikhyātaṃ Jyeṣṭha-sāma-vrato Hariḥ ||

Translation

Wika ni Vaiśampāyana: Ang aral na ito tungkol sa dharma, na nagmula sa pantas na si Barhiṣad Dhayaśna, ay umabot sa isang dvija na Brahmanang tanyag sa pangalang Jyeṣṭha. Siya’y dalubhasa sa pangwakas na karunungan ng Sāmaveda, at sapagkat tinanggap niya ang panatang kaugnay ng Jyeṣṭha-sāman, siya’y nakilala bilang Hari, ang Jyeṣṭha-sāma-vratin.

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'Vaiśampāyana uvāca', 'definition': 'Vaiśampāyana said (narrator’s speech marker)'}, {'term': 'samprāptaḥ', 'definition': 'reached

• was transmitted to'}, {'term': 'Sāmavedānta-ga', 'definition': 'one who has gone to/attained the end (culmination) of the Sāmaveda

• a consummate knower of Sāmavedic learning'}, {'term': 'dvija', 'definition': 'twice-born

• a Brahmin (or member of the twice-born varṇas), here specifically a Brahmin'}, {'term': 'jyeṣṭha-nāma', 'definition': 'having the name ‘Jyeṣṭha’

• known as Jyeṣṭha'}, {'term': 'abhivikhyāta', 'definition': 'well-known

• renowned'}, {'term': 'vrata', 'definition': 'vow

• disciplined practice'}, {'term': 'Jyeṣṭha-sāma-vrata / Jyeṣṭha-sāman', 'definition': 'an observance connected with a specific Sāmavedic chant (sāman) named ‘Jyeṣṭha’'}, {'term': 'Hariḥ', 'definition': 'Hari (a personal name here

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Barhiṣad Dhayaśna
• Jyeṣṭha (Brahmin)
• Hari (Jyeṣṭha-sāma-vratin)
• Sāmaveda
• Jyeṣṭha-sāman

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how dharma is preserved and conveyed through disciplined lineages: a dharma-instruction is transmitted to a qualified recipient—one renowned, Veda-trained, and committed to a specific vow—implying that ethical teaching is safeguarded by learning (śruti mastery) and practice (vrata).

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana identifies the recipient of a dharma-upadeśa: a Brahmin named Jyeṣṭha, expert in Sāmavedic learning, who is also called Hari because he undertook the Jyeṣṭha-sāman observance; the verse functions as a link in the chain of transmission of the discourse.