Shloka 6

Nārada’s Darśana of Viśvarūpa Nārāyaṇa and the Caturmūrti Doctrine (नारदस्य नारायणदर्शनं चतुर्मूर्तिविचारश्च)

Devanagari script

सचवतां मन्त्रवत्पूजां प्रत्यगृह्लाद्‌ यथाविधि । प्रतिगृहा तु तां पूजां जनकाद्‌ द्विजसत्तम:

Transliteration

sacchavatāṁ mantravat-pūjāṁ pratyagṛhlād yathāvidhi | pratigṛhā tu tāṁ pūjāṁ janakād dvija-sattamaḥ ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“最上之婆罗门舒迦提婆，依仪轨如法受纳阇那迦王所献、并以真言相伴的供敬。既受其礼，又纳母牛之施，这位光辉的圣者便回以敬意，并问候国王长久安泰。”

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'sacchavatām', 'definition': 'of the virtuous / of the good (sat)

• those who are righteous'}, {'term': 'mantravat', 'definition': 'accompanied by mantras

• with sacred formulas'}, {'term': 'pūjām', 'definition': 'worship

• ritual reception'}, {'term': 'yathāvidhi', 'definition': 'according to prescribed rule

• as enjoined'}, {'term': 'pratyagṛhlāt / pratigṛhā', 'definition': 'accepted

• received (from pratigrah-/pratigṛh-)'}, {'term': 'janakāt', 'definition': 'from Janaka (King Janaka)'}, {'term': 'dvija-sattamaḥ', 'definition': 'best among the twice-born

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• King Janaka
• dvija-sattama (foremost Brahmin/sage)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharma in giving and receiving: worship and gifts should be offered and accepted 'yathāvidhi' (according to rule), with mantras and proper intention. Ethical reciprocity is shown—patron honors the worthy recipient, and the recipient responds with respect and blessings/welfare-inquiry, sustaining social and spiritual order.

What is happening in the narrative?

King Janaka offers a duly performed, mantra-accompanied honor/ritual reception to a foremost Brahmin/sage. The sage accepts the worship properly, receives the gift (including a cow, per the prose context), honors Janaka in return, and asks about the king’s lasting well-being.