Shloka 41

Āścarya-kathana: Brāhmaṇa–Nāga Dialogue on Sūrya (Vivasvat) and the ‘Second Sun’ Phenomenon

Devanagari script

सनत्कुमारादपि च वीरणो वै प्रजापति: । कृतादौ कुरुशार्दूल धर्ममेतदधीतवान्‌

Transliteration

sanatkumārād api ca vīraṇo vai prajāpatiḥ | kṛtādau kuruśārdūla dharmam etad adhītavān, nareśvara | tatpaścāt bhagavān sanatkumāraḥ naraśvarāya etat sātvata-dharma-upadeśaṃ prāha | kuruśreṣṭha! sanatkumārāt vīraṇa-prajāpatinā kṛtayugasya ādau asya dharmasya upadeśaḥ gṛhītaḥ ||

Translation

毗湿摩波耶那说：即便从善那特库摩罗（Sanatkumāra）处，名为毗罗那（Vīraṇa）的生主（Prajāpati）也在克利多纪（Kṛta-yuga）之初学得此一正法，哦库鲁之虎、国王啊。其后，尊贵的善那特库摩罗又宣说了那萨特瓦塔之法（Sātvata-Dharma）的教诲。哦库鲁中最卓越者，生主毗罗那正是在克利多纪最初的远古时分，从善那特库摩罗处领受了这法的训诫。

Word by Word

• सनत्कुमारात्: from Sanatkumāra
• सनत्कुमारात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सनत्कुमार
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

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

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

• वीरणः: Vīraṇa (proper name)
• वीरणः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीरण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वै: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

• प्रजापतिः: Prajāpati
• प्रजापतिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजापति
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कृतादौ: at the beginning of the Kṛta (yuga)
• कृतादौ: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृत-आदि
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Singular

• कुरुशार्दूल: O tiger among the Kurus
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुरु-शार्दूल
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• धर्मम्: dharma/teaching
• धर्मम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• एतत्: this
• Type: Pronoun/Adjective
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अधीतवान्: studied/learned
• Type: Verb
• Root: अधि-इ (धातु: इ/अध्ययनार्थे), क्तवत्
• Form: Perfective past (ktavat participle), Singular, Masculine, Nominative

• नरेश्वर: O lord of men (king)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर-ईश्वर
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• वैशम्पायन (Vaiśampāyana)
• सनत्कुमार (Sanatkumāra)
• वीरण प्रजापति (Vīraṇa Prajāpati)
• कुरु (Kuru lineage)
• कृतयुग (Kṛta-yuga)
• सात्वत-धर्म (Sātvata-Dharma)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse emphasizes the authority of Dharma through an ancient lineage of transmission: Sātvata-Dharma is presented as a venerable teaching received at the very dawn of the Kṛta-yuga, underscoring its timeless ethical and spiritual legitimacy.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes how the teaching was handed down: Sanatkumāra instructed Vīraṇa Prajāpati at the beginning of the Kṛta age, and this tradition of instruction is being recalled to validate the doctrine being discussed in the Śānti Parva.