Shloka 17
Nāga-āyatana-darśana-pratīkṣā — The Brāhmaṇa’s Request and Waiting on the Gomatī
सर्वाश्रमाभिगमन सर्वतीर्थावगाहनम् । न तथा फलदं चापि नारायणकथा यथा,सम्पूर्ण ऋषि-आश्रमोंकी यात्रा करना और समस्त तीर्थोमें स्नान करना भी वैसा फल देनेवाला नहीं है, जैसा कि भगवान् नारायणकी कथा प्रदान करती है
sarvāśramābhigamanaṁ sarvatīrthāvagāhanam | na tathā phaladaṁ cāpi nārāyaṇakathā yathā ||
قال جاناميچايا: «إنّ زيارةَ جميعِ مآوي النُّسّاك من الرِّشيّين والاغتسالَ في كلِّ مَعبرٍ مقدّس لا يُثمران ثمرةً تماثل ما تمنحه كَثا نارايانا. فالسماعُ لخبر الربّ وروايتُه يفوقان الحجَّ الظاهر في الأثر الروحي».
जनमेजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that devotion expressed through hearing and recounting Nārāyaṇa’s sacred narrative yields greater spiritual fruit than extensive external rites such as touring all āśramas and bathing at all tīrthas; inner orientation and God-centered remembrance are presented as superior.
In the Śānti Parva’s didactic setting, Janamejaya speaks in praise of Nārāyaṇa-kathā, contrasting it with the traditional merit of pilgrimages and ritual baths, thereby emphasizing the exceptional efficacy of sacred discourse about the Lord.