Shloka 49

Āścarya-kathana: Brāhmaṇa–Nāga Dialogue on Sūrya (Vivasvat) and the ‘Second Sun’ Phenomenon

Devanagari script

पितामहाय शुद्धाय युगादौ लोकधारिणे । पितामहश्न दक्षाय धर्ममेतं पुरा ददौ

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca |

pitāmahāya śuddhāya yugādau lokadhāriṇe |

pitāmahaś ca dakṣāya dharmam etaṃ purā dadau, nareśvara ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana nói: Vào buổi đầu của thời đại, Nārāyaṇa đã dạy dharma này cho Pitāmaha (Brahmā) thuần tịnh, đấng nâng đỡ các thế giới. Rồi về thời cổ xưa, Pitāmaha (Brahmā) lại truyền chính dharma ấy cho Dakṣa, hỡi Đại vương—lập nên dòng truyền thừa thánh giáo từ cội nguồn vũ trụ đến các bậc sinh chủ.

Word by Word

• {'vaiśampāyana uvāca': 'Vaiśampāyana said', 'pitāmahāya': 'to Pitāmaha

• to the Grandfather (Brahmā)', 'śuddhāya': 'to the pure one

• of pure nature', 'yugādau': 'at the beginning of the yuga/age

• at creation’s outset', 'lokadhāriṇe': 'to the supporter/sustainer of the worlds', 'pitāmahaḥ': 'Pitāmaha (Brahmā)', 'dakṣāya': 'to Dakṣa (Prajāpati)', 'dharmaṃ': 'dharma

• righteous order, duty, sacred law', 'etaṃ': 'this (very)', 'purā': 'formerly

• in ancient times', 'dadau': 'gave

• taught', 'nareśvara': 'O lord of men

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Pitāmaha (Brahmā)
• Nārāyaṇa
• Dakṣa (Prajāpati)
• Yuga (cosmic age)
• Dharma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Dharma is presented as a primordial, authoritative teaching transmitted through a sacred lineage: from Nārāyaṇa at the dawn of creation to Brahmā, and from Brahmā to Dakṣa. The ethical point is that dharma is not arbitrary; it is grounded in cosmic order and preserved through responsible instruction.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana explains the origin and early transmission of a particular dharma being discussed: Nārāyaṇa instructs Brahmā at the beginning of the yuga, and Brahmā then teaches Dakṣa, establishing the tradition’s pedigree for the listener (the king).