Shloka 8

Nāga-āyatana-darśana-pratīkṣā — The Brāhmaṇa’s Request and Waiting on the Gomatī

Devanagari script

कर्मान्तरेषु विधिवद्‌ वर्तमानेषु शौनक । कृष्णद्वैपायनं व्यासमृषिं वेदनिर्धि प्रभुम्‌

Transliteration

karmāntareṣu vidhivad vartamāneṣu śaunaka | kṛṣṇadvaipāyanaṃ vyāsam ṛṣiṃ vedanidhiṃ prabhum ||

Translation

Hỡi Śaunaka, khi các nghi lễ theo quy định đang diễn tiến đúng trật tự, bấy giờ hiền thánh Kṛṣṇa-Dvaipāyana Vyāsa hiện đến—một bậc tôn sư đầy uy quyền, kho tàng sống của Veda.

Word by Word

• कर्मान्तरेषु: in other duties/activities
• कर्मान्तरेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मान्तर
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Plural

• विधिवत्: according to rule; duly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधिवत्

• वर्तमानेषु: while (they) are proceeding/engaged
• वर्तमानेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृत्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Locative, Plural

• शौनक: O Shaunaka
• Type: Noun
• Root: शौनक
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• कृष्णद्वैपायनम्: Krishna-Dvaipayana (Vyasa)
• कृष्णद्वैपायनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्णद्वैपायन
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• व्यासम्: Vyasa
• व्यासम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यास
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• ऋषिम्: the sage
• ऋषिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• वेदनिर्धि: treasure/store of the Veda(s)
• वेदनिर्धि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेदनिर्धि
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रभुम्: the lord/master
• प्रभुम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

शौनक उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śaunaka
• Kṛṣṇa-Dvaipāyana Vyāsa
• Veda(s)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the value of vidhivat karma—actions performed according to sacred injunctions. Such disciplined observance of dharma creates the proper context for receiving higher guidance, symbolized by the arrival of Vyāsa, the authoritative custodian of Vedic wisdom.

What is happening in the narrative?

As the ritual proceedings are being carried out in proper order, Śaunaka notes the appearance/mention of the great sage Vyāsa (Kṛṣṇa-Dvaipāyana), described as a rishi and a ‘treasure of the Vedas,’ indicating an impending authoritative instruction or revelation.