Shloka 3

Adhyāya 223: Nāradasya Guṇa-kathana

Catalogue of Nārada’s Virtues

Devanagari script

पितामहमुपागम्य प्रणिपत्य कृताउज्जलि: । सवनिवासुरान्‌ जित्वा बलिं पप्रच्छ वासव:

Transliteration

pitāmaham upāgamya praṇipatya kṛtāñjaliḥ | sa-vanivāsurān jitvā baliṁ papraccha vāsavaḥ ||

Translation

Bhīṣma nói: “Một lần kia, sau khi đánh bại các Asura cùng bè bạn và kẻ nương tựa của họ, Indra (Vāsava) đến yết kiến Đấng Tổ Phụ Brahmā. Chắp tay cúi lạy cung kính, ngài hỏi: ‘Bạch Đấng Tôn Quý, Bali cư ngụ nơi đâu?’”

Word by Word

• पितामहम्: the grandsire (Brahmā)
• पितामहम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितामह
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• उपागम्य: having approached
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-गम्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage), Non-finite

• प्रणिपत्य: having bowed down
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-नि-पत्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage), Non-finite

• कृत-उज्जलिः: with joined palms (having made añjali)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत + उज्जलि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• स-वनिवासुरान्: the forest-dwelling asuras together (with their allies)
• स-वनिवासुरान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: स + वनिवासुर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• जित्वा: having conquered
• Type: Verb
• Root: जि
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage), Non-finite

• बलिम्: Bali
• बलिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलि
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• पप्रच्छ: asked
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-छ् (पृच्छ्)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• वासवः: Vāsava (Indra)
• वासवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Brahma (Pitamaha)
• Indra (Vasava)
• Bali
• Asuras

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even after success, one should remain humble and seek guidance from a higher, wiser authority. Indra’s folded-hands inquiry to Brahmā models disciplined victory—power tempered by reverence and the pursuit of right knowledge.

What is happening in the narrative?

Indra, having defeated the Asuras, goes to Brahmā (the Pitāmaha) and respectfully asks where Bali is residing. The verse sets up a consultation with Brahmā about Bali’s whereabouts and, implicitly, about the proper course of action after victory.