Shloka 7

Atithi’s Direction to the Nāga-sage Padma at Naimiṣa (अतिथ्युपदेशः—नैमिषे पद्मनागोपाख्यानप्रस्तावः)

Devanagari script

निदर्शनमपि हात्र भवति,इस विषयमें श्रुतिका यह दृष्टान्त भी है

Transliteration

nidarśanam api hātra bhavati, iṣa viṣayeṃ śrutika idaṃ dṛṣṭāntam api hai

Translation

“此处亦有一则譬喻；关于这一点，圣闻（Śruti，吠陀启示）本身就给出了例证。”

Word by Word

• निदर्शनम्: example/illustration
• निदर्शनम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: निदर्शन
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• अपि: also/even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

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

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

• भवति: is/occurs
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Arjuna
• Śruti (Vedic revelation)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The speaker appeals to Śruti as the highest authority and indicates that the ethical or doctrinal point being argued is supported not only by reasoning but also by a Vedic precedent (dṛṣṭānta).

What is happening in the narrative?

Arjuna, in the course of a discussion on dharma in the Śānti Parva, strengthens his position by stating that an illustrative example exists and that the Vedic Śruti itself offers such an example for the matter at hand.