Shloka 5
Nārada Instructs the Pracetās: Bhakti as the Goal of All Paths
प्रचेतस ऊचु: स्वागतं ते सुरर्षेऽद्य दिष्ट्या नो दर्शनं गत: । तव चङ्क्रमणं ब्रह्मन्नभयाय यथा रवे: ॥ ५ ॥
pracetasa ūcuḥ svāgataṁ te surarṣe ’dya diṣṭyā no darśanaṁ gataḥ tava caṅkramaṇaṁ brahmann abhayāya yathā raveḥ
قال البرچيتاس: «مرحبًا بك أيها الدِّيفَرِشي. بفضل حظّنا العظيم نلنا اليوم دارشنك. أيها البرهمن، كما أن مسير الشمس يبدّد خوف ظلمة الليل، كذلك تجوالك يطرد كل أنواع الخوف».
Because of the night’s darkness, everyone is afraid of rogues and thieves, especially in great cities. People are often afraid to go out on the streets, and we understand that even in a great city like New York people do not like to go out at night. More or less, when it is night everyone is afraid, either in the city or in the village. However, as soon as the sun rises everyone is relieved. Similarly, this material world is dark by nature. Everyone is afraid of danger at every moment, but when one sees a devotee like Nārada, all fear is relieved. Just as the sun disperses darkness, the appearance of a great sage like Nārada disperses ignorance. When one meets Nārada or his representative, a spiritual master, one is freed from all anxiety brought about by ignorance.
FAQs
This verse says that obtaining the darśana of a divine sage is a matter of great fortune and that his very presence and movement grant abhayā (fearlessness), like the sun that removes darkness.
Nārada is a surarṣi (divine sage) whose association awakens devotion and right guidance; therefore the Pracetās honor his arrival as auspicious and protective for their spiritual path.
Seek regular satsanga—hearing, serving, and taking counsel from sincere devotees—so clarity replaces anxiety, and faith-driven choices become steadier, like darkness fading in sunlight.