Shloka 22
Adhyāya 223: Nāradasya Guṇa-kathana
Catalogue of Nārada’s Virtues
यूपस्तवासीत् सुमहान् यजत: सर्वकाऊ्चन:,यज्ञ करते समय तुम्हारे यज्ञमण्डपका अत्यन्त विशाल मध्यवर्ती स्तम्भ पूरा-का-पूरा सोनेका बना होता था। जिस समय तुम निरन्तर दस-दस करोड़ गौओंका सहस्रों बार दान किया करते थे, दैत्यायाज! उस समय तुम्हारे मनमें कैसे विचार उठते रहे होंगे?
śakra uvāca | yūpas tavāsīt sumahān yajataḥ sarva-kāñcanaḥ | yajña-kāle samaye tubhyaṁ yajña-maṇḍapasya atyanta-viśālaḥ madhyavartī stambhaḥ pūrṇaḥ kāñcanamayaḥ āsīt | yadā tvaṁ nirantaraṁ daśa-daśa-koṭīr gāvaḥ sahasraśo dānaṁ karosi sma, daityāyāja, tadā tava manasi kīdṛśā vicārāḥ samutpannāḥ syuḥ ||
Śakra said: “Your sacrificial post (yūpa) was exceedingly great; and as you performed the sacrifice, the central pillar of your vast sacrificial pavilion was made wholly of gold. And when you were ceaselessly giving away, again and again, tens of crores of cows in donation—O sacrificer of the Daityas—what thoughts were rising in your mind then?”
शक्र उवाच