Shloka 87

Nāgendra–Brāhmaṇa Saṃvāda: Praśna-vidhi and Dharmic Approach on the Gomatī Riverbank

Devanagari script

नारायणपरा कीर्ति: श्रीक्ष लक्ष्मीक्ष देवता: । नारायणपरं सांख्यं योगो नारायणात्मक:

Transliteration

vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca |

nārāyaṇaparā kīrtiḥ śrīś ca lakṣmīś ca devatāḥ |

nārāyaṇaparaṃ sāṅkhyaṃ yogo nārāyaṇātmakaḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśaṃpāyana nói: Danh vọng (Kīrti), Śrī và Lakṣmī—những quyền năng thần linh—chỉ lấy Nārāyaṇa làm nơi nương tựa tối thượng. Ý nghĩa rốt ráo của Sāṅkhya cũng quy về Nārāyaṇa; và Yoga mang chính bản tính của Nārāyaṇa. Vì thế, con đường tri kiến và con đường tu tập kỷ luật, cùng các lực cát tường nâng đỡ thế gian, đều hội tụ nơi cùng một nền tảng tối cao.

Word by Word

• नारायणपरा: having Nārāyaṇa as the supreme (refuge/goal)
• नारायणपरा: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नारायणपर
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• कीर्तिः: fame; glory (personified)
• कीर्तिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कीर्ति
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• श्रीः: Śrī; prosperity (goddess)
• श्रीः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• लक्ष्मीः: Lakṣmī (goddess of fortune)
• लक्ष्मीः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष्मी
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• देवताः: deities; goddesses
• देवताः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवता
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• नारायणपरम्: having Nārāyaṇa as the supreme (end/meaning)
• नारायणपरम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नारायणपर
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• सांख्यम्: Sāṅkhya (philosophy)
• सांख्यम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सांख्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• योगः: Yoga (discipline)
• योगः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: योग
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• नारायणात्मकः: whose essence/nature is Nārāyaṇa
• नारायणात्मकः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नारायणात्मक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशग्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• Nārāyaṇa
• Kīrti (personified)
• Śrī
• Lakṣmī
• Sāṅkhya
• Yoga

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

All auspicious powers (glory, prosperity, fortune) and even the major philosophical disciplines (Sāṅkhya and Yoga) ultimately rest upon and point toward Nārāyaṇa as the supreme ground. The verse teaches a unifying vision: diverse paths and values culminate in the same highest reality.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction-oriented setting, Vaiśaṃpāyana continues a doctrinal exposition that elevates Nārāyaṇa as the ultimate refuge and essence behind both devotional ideals and philosophical systems, integrating metaphysics and practice into a single theistic framework.