Shloka 16

Nāga-āyatana-darśana-pratīkṣā — The Brāhmaṇa’s Request and Waiting on the Gomatī

Devanagari script

ऋषयश्च सगन्धर्वा यच्च किंचिच्चराचरम्‌ | न ततो<स्ति परं मन्ये पावन दिवि चेह च

Transliteration

ṛṣayaś ca sa-gandharvā yac ca kiñcic carācaram | na tato 'sti paraṃ manye pāvanaṃ divi ceha ca ||

Translation

阇那美阇耶说道：“一切仙人连同乾闼婆，以及宇宙中所有存在——动与不动——在我看来都不胜于彼。我不认为有谁比那一位更具净化之力，无论在天界还是在人间。”

Word by Word

• ऋषयः: sages
• ऋषयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• सगन्धर्वाः: together with the Gandharvas
• सगन्धर्वाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: स-गन्धर्व
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• यत्: whatever
• यत्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• किंचित्: anything at all
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किंचित्

• चराचरम्: the moving and the unmoving (all beings)
• चराचरम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: चर-अचर
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

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

• ततः: than that / from him
• ततः: Apadana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• अस्ति: there is
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• परम्: higher / superior
• परम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• मन्ये: I think / I consider
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन्
• Form: Present, First, Singular, Atmanepada

• पावनम्: purifying, holy
• पावनम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पावन
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• दिवि: in heaven
• दिवि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिव्
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• इह: here (on earth)
• इह: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• द्विजश्रेष्ठ: O best of the twice-born (Brahmin)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज-श्रेष्ठ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

जनमेजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Janamejaya
• Rishis
• Gandharvas
• Heaven (divi)
• Earth/this world (iha)
• All moving and unmoving beings (carācaram)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse asserts the unsurpassed supremacy and purifying power of the highest divine principle: even the loftiest beings (ṛṣis, gandharvas) and the whole cosmos (carācaram) are not higher than Him; devotion and recognition of this highest reality are presented as spiritually purifying in both heavenly and earthly spheres.

What is happening in the narrative?

Janamejaya speaks in praise, declaring that no entity in the entire universe—celestial or terrestrial, moving or unmoving—surpasses the supreme object of reverence being discussed in the surrounding discourse, emphasizing His unique greatness and sanctifying nature.