Shloka 24

Adhyāya 223: Nāradasya Guṇa-kathana

Catalogue of Nārada’s Virtues

Devanagari script

यदा च पृथिवीं सर्वा यजमानो<नुपर्यगा: । शम्याक्षेपेण विधिना तदा55सीत्‌ किं तु ते हदि

Transliteration

yadā ca pṛthivīṃ sarvāṃ yajamāno ’nuparyagāḥ | śamyākṣepena vidhinā tadā āsīt kiṃ tu te hṛdi ||

Translation

Śakra nói: “Và khi, với tư cách tế chủ, ngươi đã đi nhiễu quanh toàn cõi địa cầu theo nghi thức đã định của việc ném śamyā (cọc gỗ nghi lễ), khi ấy trong tim ngươi có bao nhiêu khí lực—bao nhiêu nhiệt tâm?”

Word by Word

• यदा: when
• यदा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदा

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

• पृथिवीम्: the earth
• पृथिवीम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथिवी
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• सर्वाम्: entire, whole
• सर्वाम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• यजमानः: the sacrificer (patron of the sacrifice)
• यजमानः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: यजमान
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अनुपर्यगाः: you went around, you circumambulated
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु-परि-गम्
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha/लिट्), Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• शम्याक्षेपेण: by the act of casting/throwing the śamyā (ritual peg/rod)
• शम्याक्षेपेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम्या-क्षेप
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• विधिना: by the prescribed rule/rite
• विधिना: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• तदा: then, at that time
• तदा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

• आसीत्: was
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस्
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• किम्: what; how much
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• तु: but, indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• ते: of you, your
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Genitive, Singular

• हृदि: in (your) heart
• हृदि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृद्
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

Speaker

शक्र उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śakra (Indra)
• Pṛthivī (the Earth)
• Śamyā (ritual peg)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights reverence for disciplined ritual action performed according to proper injunctions (vidhi). It frames inner zeal (utsāha) and steadfastness of heart as essential to dharmic undertaking, especially when the act is vast in scope and demanding.

What is happening in the narrative?

Śakra (Indra) addresses the interlocutor and asks about the inner state experienced during a grand sacrificial observance—described as circumambulating the whole earth while performing the śamyā-casting rite according to rule—probing the intensity of resolve and enthusiasm that sustained such an act.