Shloka 22
Mātali’s Proposal for Guṇakeśī and Sumukha’s Audience with Indra
कण्व उवाच मातलिं प्रीतमनसं दृष्टवा सुमुखदर्शनात् | निवेदयामास तदा माहात्म्यं जन्म कर्म च,कण्व मुनि कहते हैं--राजन्! मातलिको सुमुखके दर्शनसे प्रसन्नचित्त देखकर नारदजीने उस समय उस नागकुमारके जन्म, कर्म और महत्त्वका परिचय देना आरम्भ किया
kaṇva uvāca mātaliṁ prītamanasaṁ dṛṣṭvā sumukhadarśanāt | nivedayāmāsa tadā māhātmyaṁ janma karma ca ||
قال كَṇڤا: لما رأى ناردَ مَاتَلي مسرورَ القلب عند رؤية سُموخا، شرع حينئذٍ يَسرد—مُبيِّنًا عظمة ذلك الأمير من الناغا، ومولده، وأعماله.
कण्व उवाच
Educational Q&A
True greatness (māhātmya) is established through one’s deeds (karma) and the moral recognition they evoke, not merely through birth (janma). The narrative signals that ethical worth is to be understood through conduct and its impact on the righteous.
Kaṇva narrates that Mātali becomes pleased upon seeing Sumukha; in response, Nārada begins explaining Sumukha’s background—his origin, actions, and distinguished merit—introducing the audience to why this Nāga prince is significant.