Shanti Parva Adhyaya 336 Shloka 22 - Mahabharata | Bengali | Vedapath

Vyasa

Shloka 22

एकान्तिधर्म-प्रश्नः (Inquiry into Ekāntin Dharma) / The Origin and Practice of Single-Pointed Nārāyaṇa-Centered Discipline

Devanagari script

तस्य नारायणे भक्ति वहतोअमित्रकर्षिण: । एकशब्यासन देवो दत्तवान्‌ देवराट्‌ स्‍्वयम्‌

Transliteration

tasya nārāyaṇe bhaktiṁ vahato 'mitrakarṣiṇaḥ | ekaśayyāsanaṁ devo dattavān devarāṭ svayam ||

Translation

নারায়ণে ভক্তি বহনকারী সেই শত্রুদমন রাজায় সন্তুষ্ট হয়ে দেবরাজ ইন্দ্র স্বয়ং তাকে একই শয্যা ও একই আসনে বসার দুর্লভ সম্মান দান করেছিলেন।

Word by Word

तस्यof him

नारायणेin/unto Nārāyaṇa

भक्तिम्devotion

वहतःof (him) bearing/maintaining

अमित्रकर्षिणःof the enemy-subduing (king)

एकशय्यासनम्one bed-and-seat (shared couch and seat)

देवःthe god (Indra)

दत्तवान्gave/bestowed

देवराट्the king of the gods (Indra)

स्वयम्himself

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

Nārāyaṇa

Indra (Devarāṭ)

a king described as Amitrakarṣiṇa

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Steadfast bhakti to Nārāyaṇa brings divine favor and honor; spiritual devotion is portrayed as a higher credential than mere worldly power, even in the eyes of Indra.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma describes a devotee-king (called ‘enemy-subduer’) whose devotion to Nārāyaṇa pleases Indra, leading Indra to grant him exceptional respect—sharing the same seat and couch—signifying intimate honor and recognition.