Shloka 17
नारदेन दिव्यसभाः कथितुं प्रतिज्ञा
Nārada’s Prelude to Describing the Divine Assemblies
वासवं देवराजं च यम॑ वैवस्वतं च के । वरुणं च कुबेरं च सभायां पर्युपासते,“इसी प्रकार देवराज इन्द्र, वैवस्वत यम, वरुण तथा कुबेरकी सभामें कौन-कौन लोग उनकी उपासना करते हैं?
vāsavaṃ devarājaṃ ca yamaṃ vaivasvataṃ ca ke | varuṇaṃ ca kuberaṃ ca sabhāyāṃ paryupāsate ||
Nārada said: “Who are the beings that attend upon and render homage in the assembly-halls of Vāsava (Indra), the king of the gods; of Yama Vaivasvata; of Varuṇa; and of Kubera?”
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a dharmic inquiry into rightful authority and honor: by asking who attends the courts of major deities, it points to the idea that greatness is recognized through the quality of one’s assembly—those who gather around a ruler reflect the ruler’s power, order, and moral standing.
Nārada is questioning (in sequence) about the attendants and worshippers present in the sabhās (royal/divine courts) of Indra, Yama, Varuṇa, and Kubera—setting up a description of these celestial assemblies and their distinguished members.