Shloka 22
Adhyāya 223: Nāradasya Guṇa-kathana
Catalogue of Nārada’s Virtues
यूपस्तवासीत् सुमहान् यजत: सर्वकाऊ्चन:
śakra uvāca | yūpas tavāsīt sumahān yajataḥ sarva-kāñcanaḥ | yajña-kāle samaye tubhyaṁ yajña-maṇḍapasya atyanta-viśālaḥ madhyavartī stambhaḥ pūrṇaḥ kāñcanamayaḥ āsīt | yadā tvaṁ nirantaraṁ daśa-daśa-koṭīr gāvaḥ sahasraśo dānaṁ karosi sma, daityāyāja, tadā tava manasi kīdṛśā vicārāḥ samutpannāḥ syuḥ ||
قال شَكْرا (إندرا): «لقد كان عمود قربانك (اليُوبَ) بالغ العِظَم؛ ولأجلك، وأنت تقيم الذبيحة، كان العمود الأوسط في جناحك الطقسي الفسيح مصنوعًا كلَّه من الذهب. وحين كنتَ تواصل، مرة بعد مرة، التصدّق بعشرات الكُرور من الأبقار—يا مُقيمَ قرابين الدَّيْتْيَة—أيُّ خواطر كانت تنهض في قلبك آنذاك؟»
शक्र उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse probes the ethical core of ritual and charity: not merely the magnitude of offerings (golden ritual structures, vast cow-gifts) but the inner intention and mental attitude behind them—whether grounded in dharma, humility, and self-restraint or in pride, rivalry, and desire for fame or power.
Indra (Śakra) addresses a Daitya-associated sacrificer, recalling the extraordinary splendor of his sacrifice—especially the huge golden yūpa and immense repeated gifts of cows—and asks what thoughts motivated him during those acts, setting up a discussion on motive, merit, and the true value of sacrifice.