Shloka 3
Pitāmaha-sabhā-varṇana & Hariścandra-māhātmya
Description of Brahmā’s Assembly and the Eminence of Hariścandra
चरन् मानुषरूपेण सभां दृष्टवा स्वयम्भुव: । स तामकथयन्महां ब्राह्मीं तत््वेन पाण्डव,राजन्! पहले सत्ययुगकी बात है, भगवान् सूर्य ब्रह्माजीकी सभा देखकर फिर मनुष्यलोकको देखनेके लिये बिना परिश्रमके ही द्युलोकसे उतरकर इस लोकमें आये और मनुष्यरूपसे इधर-उधर विचरने लगे। पाण्डुनन्दन! सूर्यदेवने मुझसे उस ब्राह्मी सभाका यथार्थत: वर्णन किया
caran mānuṣarūpeṇa sabhāṁ dṛṣṭvā svayambhuvaḥ | sa tām akathayan mahāṁ brāhmīṁ tattvena pāṇḍava rājan ||
Nārada said: “Having beheld the assembly of Svayambhū (Brahmā), the Sun-god descended effortlessly from the celestial realm to the world of men, and, assuming a human form, wandered here and there. O son of Pāṇḍu, O King, he later related to me, in accordance with the truth, a full account of that great Brahmā’s assembly.”
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights fidelity to truth in transmission (tattvena): divine wonders and royal ideals should be reported as they truly are, not embellished. It also implies that higher realms and their standards of order can be examined and then reflected upon in human society.
Nārada frames a report: Sūrya, after seeing Brahmā’s celestial court, descends to the human world in human form and wanders about; afterward he narrates to Nārada an accurate account of that great assembly, which Nārada now conveys to the Pāṇḍava king.