Shloka 9

Satya-lakṣaṇa (The Characteristics and Forms of Truth) | सत्यलक्षणम्

Devanagari script

नारद उवाच शाल्मले विपरीत ते दर्शन नात्र संशय: । न हि वायोर्बलेनास्ति भूतं तुल्यबलं क्वचित्‌

Transliteration

nārada uvāca | śālmale viparīta te darśanaṃ nātra saṃśayaḥ | na hi vāyor balenāsti bhūtaṃ tulyabalaṃ kvacit |

Translation

那罗陀说道：“噢舍摩利（Śālmali），你在此事上的见解是颠倒的——毫无疑问。因为世间任何地方，都没有一个众生的力量能与风的力量相等。”

Word by Word

• नारदः: Narada
• नारदः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha-bhuta), Third, Singular

• शाल्मले: O Shalmali
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाल्मलि
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• विपरीता: contrary, reversed
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विपरीत
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• ते: your
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: —, Genitive, Singular

• दर्शनम्: view, opinion
• दर्शनम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्शन
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• अत्र: here, in this matter
• अत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र

• संशयः: doubt
• संशयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• हि: indeed, for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• वायोः: of the wind (Vayu)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायु
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• बलेन: by/with strength
• बलेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• अस्ति: is/exists
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular

• भूतम्: a being, creature
• भूतम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• तुल्यबलम्: of equal strength
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तुल्यबल
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• क्वचित्: anywhere, ever
• क्वचित्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्वचित्

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Śālmali
• Vāyu (Wind)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Nārada corrects a mistaken viewpoint and teaches humility: one should not overestimate oneself or underestimate cosmic forces; the wind’s power is presented as unmatched among beings.

What is happening in the narrative?

In a didactic exchange, Nārada addresses Śālmali and rebukes his incorrect understanding, asserting that no creature equals Vāyu in strength, thereby setting a hierarchy of power to correct pride or error.