Shloka 16
वारुणी सभा — Varuṇa’s Divine Assembly
Nārada’s Description
स्रग्विणो मौलिनश्वैव तथा दिव्यपरिच्छदा: । सर्वे लब्धवरा: शूरा: सर्वे विगतमृत्यव:,विरोचनपुत्र राजा बलि, पृथ्वीविजयी नरकासुर, प्रह्मद, विप्रचित्ति, कालखंज दानव, सुहनु, दुर्मुख, शंख, सुमना, सुमति, घटोदर, महापार्श्व, क्रथन, पिठर, विश्वरूप, स्वरूप, विरूप, महाशिरा, दशमुख रावण, वाली, मेघवासा, दशावर, टिट्टिभ, विटभूत, संहाद तथा इन्द्रतापन आदि सभी दैत्यों और दानवोंके समुदाय मनोहर कुण्डल, सुन्दर हार, किरीट तथा दिव्य वस्त्राभूषण धारण किये उस सभामें धर्मपाशधारी महात्मा वरुणदेवकी सदा उपासना करते हैं। वे सभी दैत्य वरदान पाकर शौर्यसम्पन्न हो मृत्युरहित हो गये हैं। उनका चरित्र एवं व्रत बहुत उत्तम है
sragviṇo maulinaś caiva tathā divya-paricchadāḥ | sarve labdha-varāḥ śūrāḥ sarve vigata-mṛtyavaḥ | virocanaputro rājā baliḥ pṛthivī-vijayī narakāsuraḥ prahrādaḥ vipracittiḥ kālakhañja-dānavaḥ suhanur durmukhaḥ śaṅkhaḥ sumanāḥ sumatiḥ ghaṭodaraḥ mahāpārśvaḥ krathanaḥ piṭharaḥ viśvarūpaḥ svarūpaḥ virūpaḥ mahāśirāḥ daśamukhaḥ rāvaṇaḥ vālī meghavāsā daśāvaraḥ ṭiṭṭibhaḥ viṭabhūtaḥ saṃhādaś cendra-tāpana-ādayaḥ | ete sarve daitya-dānava-saṃghā manohara-kuṇḍala-sundara-hāra-kirīṭa-divya-vastrābharaṇa-dhāriṇaḥ tasmin sabhāyāṃ dharma-pāśa-dhāriṇaṃ mahātmānaṃ varuṇaṃ sadopāsate |
Nārada said: “Wearing garlands and diadems, clad in divine attire, all of them heroic and all made deathless by boons—King Bali, son of Virocana; the earth-conquering Narakāsura; Prahlāda; Vipracitti; the Dānava Kālakhañja; Suhanu, Durmukha, Śaṅkha, Sumanas, Sumati, Ghaṭodara, Mahāpārśva, Krathana, Piṭhara, Viśvarūpa, Svarūpa, Virūpa, Mahāśiras; the ten-faced Rāvaṇa; Vālī; Meghavāsa; Daśāvara; Ṭiṭṭibha; Viṭabhūta; Saṃhāda; Indratāpana and others—these hosts of Daityas and Dānavas, adorned with charming earrings, beautiful necklaces, crowns, and celestial garments and ornaments, continually worship in that assembly the great-souled Varuṇa, bearer of the noose of dharma. Having obtained boons, they have become valorous and free from death; their conduct and vows are described as excellent.”
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even those famed as Daityas and Dānavas are portrayed as capable of disciplined vows and reverent worship. The verse links power (boons, valor, even ‘deathlessness’) with accountability to cosmic order, symbolized by Varuṇa and his dharma-noose—suggesting that might is meant to be held within the bounds of dharma.
Nārada is describing the splendor and occupants of the extraordinary assembly hall: a long roster of powerful Daityas and Dānavas, richly adorned and made formidable by boons, are shown continually worshipping Varuṇa, who bears the noose associated with moral and cosmic restraint.