Shloka 37

Nāgendra–Brāhmaṇa Saṃvāda: Praśna-vidhi and Dharmic Approach on the Gomatī Riverbank

Devanagari script

हरे: स्तोत्रार्थमुद्धूता बुद्धिर्बुद्धिमतां वर । ततो जगीौ परं जप्यं साञ्जलिप्रग्रह: प्रभु:

Transliteration

Vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca | hareḥ stotrārtham uddhūtā buddhir buddhimatāṃ vara | tato jagau paraṃ japyaṃ sāñjalipragrahaḥ prabhuḥ ||

Translation

毗耶娑之弟子毗舍摩波耶那说道：噢，智者之中最卓越者！梵天心中生起了赞颂诃利（Hari）的决意。于是那位大能的主宰合掌恭敬，开始吟诵至上的赞歌——堪作持诵之“阇波”（japa）——由此昭示：当转向神圣之时，虔敬与谦卑乃是正当的回应，即便对至高者亦然。

Word by Word

• {'hareḥ': 'of Hari (Viṣṇu), the Lord', 'stotrārtham': 'for the purpose of a hymn of praise', 'uddhūtā': 'arisen, stirred up, awakened', 'buddhiḥ': 'intention, understanding, resolve', 'buddhimatām vara': 'O best among the intelligent/wise (vocative address)', 'tataḥ': 'then, thereafter', 'jagau': 'sang, chanted', 'param': 'supreme, highest', 'japyam': 'fit to be repeated as japa

• to be recited', 'sāñjali': 'with joined palms (añjali gesture)', 'pragrahaḥ': 'holding/maintaining (the posture)

• here: maintaining folded hands', 'prabhuḥ': 'the lord, the powerful one (here: Brahmā)'}

Speaker

वैशग्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• Hari (Viṣṇu)
• Brahmā

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even the highest cosmic authority (Brahmā) approaches the Supreme (Hari) through humility and devotional praise; stotra and japa are presented as elevating, disciplined modes of turning the mind toward dharmic reverence.

What is happening in the narrative?

The narrator states that Brahmā’s intention to praise Hari arises; Brahmā then folds his hands and begins chanting a supreme, japa-worthy hymn.