Shloka 13
Śatarudrīya-prabhāva and Rudra’s Supremacy (शतरुद्रीयप्रभावः)
दृष्टवा मुनिगणस्यासीत् परा प्रीतिर्जनार्दन । माधव! वह अनुपम पर्वत भ्रमरोंके गीतोंसे अत्यन्त सुशोभित हो रहा था। जनार्दन! वह स्थान अत्यन्त भयंकर होनेपर भी महान् उत्सवसे सम्पन्न-सा प्रतीत होता था। उसे देखकर मुनियोंके समुदायको बड़ी प्रसन्नता हुई ।। मुनयश्ल महाभागा: सिद्धाश्रैवोर्ध्वरेतस:,वाता: सर्वे महाभूतास्तत्रैवासन् समागता: । महान् सौभाग्यशाली मुनि, ऊर्ध्वरेता सिद्धणण, मरुदगण, वसुगण, साध्यगण, इन्द्रसहित विश्वेदेवगण, यक्ष और नाग, पिशाच, लोकपाल, अग्नि, समस्त वायु और प्रधान भूतगण वहाँ आये हुए थे
nārada uvāca | dṛṣṭvā munigaṇasyāsīt parā prītir janārdana | mādhava! sa anupamaḥ parvataḥ bhramarāṇāṃ gītaiḥ atyantaṃ suśobhitaḥ babhūva | janārdana! tat sthānam atyanta-bhayaṅkaraṃ sat api mahotsava-sampannaṃ iva pratīyate sma | taṃ dṛṣṭvā munīnāṃ samūhasya mahān harṣaḥ samajāyata || mahābhāgā munayaḥ siddhāś caiva ūrdhvaretaś ca | marutaḥ sarve mahābhūtāś ca tatraiva āsan samāgatāḥ | vasavaḥ sādhyāḥ indra-sahitā viśve-devāḥ yakṣā nāgāḥ piśācāḥ lokapālāḥ agniḥ sarvāṇi vāyavaś ca pradhāna-bhūtāni ca tatra samāgatāni ||
Nārada said: “O Janārdana, when the company of sages beheld it, they were filled with supreme delight. O Mādhava, that incomparable mountain was exceedingly beautiful, adorned by the songs of bees. O Janārdana, though the place was extremely fearsome, it appeared as if endowed with the splendor of a great festival. Seeing it, the assembly of sages felt great joy. There, the highly fortunate sages, the Siddhas, and the ascetics of steadfast continence were gathered; the Maruts and the great elemental powers were present as well. The Vasus, the Sādhyas, the Viśvedevas together with Indra, along with Yakṣas and Nāgas, Piśācas, the guardians of the directions, Agni, all the winds, and the principal elemental beings—all had assembled there.”
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights how a place that appears outwardly fearsome can, in a dharmic and sacred context, be experienced as auspicious and celebratory. It also underscores the Mahābhārata’s vision of cosmic harmony: sages, gods, elemental powers, and various beings converge around sanctity and tapas (ascetic power), suggesting that spiritual merit draws the whole cosmos into ordered presence.
Nārada describes to Janārdana/Mādhava a remarkable mountain-site. The sages, delighted by its beauty (notably the bees’ song), perceive it as festival-like despite its terrifying aspect. Then Nārada lists the vast assembly present there—sages and Siddhas, celibate ascetics, the Maruts, major divine classes (Vasus, Sādhyas, Viśvedevas with Indra), and other beings (Yakṣas, Nāgas, Piśācas), along with the directional guardians, Agni, winds, and elemental powers.