Shloka 65

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

Devanagari script

तस्याप्यकथयत्‌ पूर्व नारद: सुमहातपा:

Transliteration

tasya apy akathayat pūrvaṃ nāradaḥ sumahātapāḥ | rājan, unse'pi prācīnakāle mahātapasvī nāradajīne asya pratipādanaṃ kṛtavān | nārāyaṇasyā ārādhanāyāṃ lagāḥ ananya-bhaktāḥ candramā iva gauravarṇāḥ te eva parabrahma-svarūpaṃ bhagavantaṃ acyutaṃ prāpnuvanti ||

Translation

毗湿摩波衍那说：“大王啊，更早以前，大苦行者那罗陀已宣讲过此教法。那些专一的信徒，沉浸于对那罗延的礼敬供奉，皎洁纯净如月之光，终将证得不堕不失的阿周陀——其本性即至上梵（Brahman）之主。”

Word by Word

• तस्य: of him/that
• तस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

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

• अकथयत्: told/declared
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथय् (कथ् caus.)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• पूर्वम्: formerly/earlier
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व

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

• सुमहातपाः: the very great ascetic
• सुमहातपाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुमहातपस्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Nārada
• Nārāyaṇa
• Acyuta
• Rājan (the King, i.e., Janamejaya)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Exclusive, one-pointed devotion (ananya-bhakti) to Nārāyaṇa leads the devotee to attain Acyuta, who is identified with the Supreme Brahman; the verse emphasizes both the goal (union/attainment of the Supreme) and the means (steadfast worship).

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana, addressing the king, cites the ancient authority of the sage Nārada, stating that Nārada had already expounded this doctrine earlier—thereby reinforcing the teaching’s legitimacy through revered lineage and testimony.