Shloka 19

Adhyāya 348: Nāga–Nīgabhāryā Saṃvāda on Anger, Hope, and Ethical Response

Devanagari script

असुरवधकरस्तपसां निधि: सुमहतां यशसां च भाजनम्‌ | मधुकैटभहा कृतधर्मविदां गतिदो- 5भयदो मखभागहरोडस्तु शरणं स ते

Transliteration

asuravadhakaraḥ tapasāṁ nidhiḥ sumahatāṁ yaśasāṁ ca bhājanam | madhukaiṭabhahā kṛtadharmavidāṁ gatido ’bhayado makhabhāgaharaś cāstu śaraṇaṁ sa te nārāyaṇaḥ ||

Translation

毗湿摩波耶那说道：愿那罗延成为你的归依——他诛灭阿修罗，为苦行之宝藏，为伟大与荣耀之所归；他是摩度与凯塔婆之杀者；他赐予知晓并奉持既定法者以至上之道；他施无畏；他受纳祭祀之分。

Word by Word

• असुरवधकरः: slayer of the Asuras
• असुरवधकरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: असुर-वध-कर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तपसाम्: of austerities
• तपसाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• निधिः: treasure, repository
• निधिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: निधि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सुमहताम्: of the very great
• सुमहताम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुमहत्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• यशसाम्: of glories, of fame
• यशसाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: यशस्
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Plural

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

• भाजनम्: receptacle, abode
• भाजनम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाजन
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• मधुकैटभहा: slayer of Madhu and Kaiṭabha
• मधुकैटभहा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मधु-कैटभ-हन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कृतधर्मविदाम्: of those who know (and practice) established dharma
• कृतधर्मविदाम्: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृत-धर्म-विद्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• गतिदः: giver of (good) destiny/attainment
• गतिदः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गति-द
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अभयदः: giver of fearlessness
• अभयदः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभय-द
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मखभागहरः: receiver/taker of the sacrificial share
• मखभागहरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मख-भाग-हृ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अस्तु: let (him) be
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस्
• Form: Imperative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular

• शरणम्: refuge
• शरणम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरण
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ते: to you, for you
• ते: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Dative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Nārāyaṇa (Viṣṇu)
• Asuras
• Madhu
• Kaiṭabha
• Makha/Yajña (sacrifice)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames Nārāyaṇa as the ultimate refuge: He protects (abhayada), upholds and rewards dharma (gatida to kṛtadharmavid), and is honored through yajña (makhabhāgahara). Ethically, it teaches that safety and right destiny arise from devotion aligned with disciplined tapas, righteous conduct, and reverent offering.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana delivers an invocation/blessing, praising Nārāyaṇa with epithets—destroyer of Asuras, slayer of Madhu and Kaiṭabha, giver of fearlessness and good destiny—and prays that this deity become the listener’s shelter. It functions as a protective and dharmic benediction within the Śānti-parvan discourse.