Shloka 11
स चेन्ममार सृञ्जय चतुर्भद्रतरस्त्वया । पुत्रात् पुण्यतरस्तुभ्यं मा पुत्रमनुतप्यथा: । अयज्वानमदाक्षिण्यमश्रि श्रैत्येत्युदाहरत्,वैत्य सूंजय! वे धर्म, ज्ञान, वैराग्य और ऐश्वर्य--इन चारों कल्याणकारी गुणोंमें तुमसे बहुत बढ़े-चढ़े थे और तुम्हारे पुत्रसे भी अधिक पुण्यात्मा थे। जब वे भी जीवित न रह सके, तब औरोंकी तो बात ही क्या है? अतः तुम अपने उस पुत्रके लिये शोक न करो, जिसने न तो यज्ञ किया था और न दक्षिणा ही दी थी। ऐसा नारदजीने कहा
sa cen mamāra sṛñjaya caturbhadrataras tvayā | putrāt puṇyataras tubhyaṃ mā putram anutapyathāḥ | ayajvān amadākṣiṇyam aśrī śraity ety udāharat | vaitī sūñjaya! ||
Nārada said: “O Sṛñjaya, if even those who were fourfold more auspicious than you—surpassing you in dharma, knowledge, dispassion, and lordly prosperity—and who were even more meritorious than your son, could not remain alive, then what need be said of others? Therefore do not grieve for that son of yours, who performed no sacrifices and gave no sacrificial gifts (dakṣiṇā).” Thus did Nārada speak.
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
Nārada redirects grief by pointing to the inevitability of death even for the highly virtuous, and he frames ethical evaluation through dharmic conduct—especially sacrifice and giving—implying that lamentation should yield to discernment about impermanence and the moral quality of one’s life.
Nārada addresses Sṛñjaya, who is mourning his son. He argues that if even people superior in four welfare-giving qualities (dharma, knowledge, dispassion, and prosperity) could not escape death, then Sṛñjaya should not be overwhelmed by sorrow—particularly for a son described as neglecting yajña and dakṣiṇā.