Shloka 25

नागैः सह ब्राह्मणस्य अतिथिधर्म-व्रतसंवादः | The Brahmin’s Vow and the Nāgas’ Hospitality Appeal

Devanagari script

वैशम्पायन उवाच एतच्छुत्वा तयोर्वाक्‍्यं तपस्युग्रे च वर्ततो: । नारद: प्राउ्जलिर्भूत्वा नारायणपरायण:

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca: etac chrutvā tayor vākyaṃ tapasy ugre ca vartatoḥ | nāradaḥ prāñjalir bhūtvā nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇaḥ ||

Translation

毗舍波耶那说道：阇那美阇耶啊！听闻那二位——那罗与那罗延——在严酷苦行中所说之言后，圣者那罗陀合掌恭敬，俯首礼拜；并唯以那罗延为归依，专心致志奉事礼敬于彼。

Word by Word

• वैशम्पायनः: Vaishampayana
• वैशम्पायनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैशम्पायन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, 3, Singular

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Purvakala-kriya
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund), Parasmaipada (sense)

• तयोः: of the two (of them)
• तयोः: Sambandha
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Dual

• वाक्यम्: speech, statement
• वाक्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• तपसि: in austerity
• तपसि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• उग्रे: fierce, severe
• उग्रे: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उग्र
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

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

• वर्ततोः: of the two who were engaged (abiding)
• वर्ततोः: Sambandha
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृत्
• Form: Present active participle (Shatṛ), Masculine, Genitive, Dual

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

• प्राञ्जलिः: with joined palms
• प्राञ्जलिः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राञ्जलि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Purvakala-kriya
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund), Parasmaipada (sense)

• नारायण-परायणः: having Narayana as the supreme refuge; devoted to Narayana
• नारायण-परायणः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नारायणपरायण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Janamejaya
• Nārada
• Nara
• Nārāyaṇa

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse models dharmic humility and bhakti: on encountering the words and presence of Nara–Nārāyaṇa in intense tapas, Nārada responds with reverent submission (prāñjali) and becomes firmly oriented to Nārāyaṇa as his sole refuge (nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇa), implying that true wisdom culminates in surrender and devoted practice.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates to King Janamejaya that after hearing the discourse of the two ascetic divinities, Nārada approaches them respectfully with folded hands, offers homage, and then turns to sustained worship of Nārāyaṇa, indicating acceptance of their instruction and alignment with their spiritual path.