Shloka 17

Nāga–Nāgabhāryā Saṃvāda: Varṇa-Dharma, Gṛhastha-Discipline, and Mokṣa-Self-Inquiry

Mahābhārata 12.347

Devanagari script

प्रोक्ष्यापसव्यं देवेश: प्राडुमुख: कृतवान्‌ स्वयम्‌ । मर्यादास्थापनार्थ च ततो वचनमुक्तवान्‌

Transliteration

prokṣyāpasavyaṁ deveśaḥ prāṅmukhaḥ kṛtavān svayam | maryādāsthāpanārthaṁ ca tato vacanam uktavān ||

Translation

Sau khi rảy tịnh theo lối apasavya, Chúa tể chư thiên tự mình quay mặt về hướng đông. Và để thiết lập những giới hạn đúng đắn của dharma cùng trật tự xã hội–tôn giáo, Ngài nói những lời sau đây.

Word by Word

• प्रोक्ष्य: having sprinkled
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-उक्ष्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), कर्तरि

• अपसव्यम्: in the leftward (counterclockwise) manner
• अपसव्यम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपसव्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• देवेशः: the Lord of the gods
• देवेशः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवेश
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्राङ्मुखः: facing east
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राङ्मुख
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कृतवान्: did / performed
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: क्तवतु (past active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• स्वयम्: himself
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम्

• मर्यादा: of propriety/limits (dharma-boundary)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मर्यादा
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Singular

• स्थापनार्थम्: for the purpose of establishing
• स्थापनार्थम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थापनार्थ
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

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

• ततः: then / thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• वचनम्: a statement/word
• वचनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• उक्तवान्: said / uttered
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: क्तवतु (past active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Deveśa (the Lord of the gods)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Dharma is upheld not only by intention but also by correctly established norms (maryādā) and disciplined ritual action; divine authority is portrayed as instituting boundaries to preserve ethical and social order.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada describes the Lord performing a ritual act of sprinkling in the apasavya manner, then turning to face east and delivering an authoritative statement meant to establish or reaffirm dharmic boundaries.