Shloka 104
Śoka-śamana: Kṛṣṇa’s Consolation and Nārada’s Exempla to Sṛñjaya
Chapter 29
“उनके यज्ञमें एक लाख दस हजार राजा सेवाकार्य करते थे। वे सभी अश्वमेधयज्ञका फल पाकर दक्षिणायनके पश्चात् आनेवाले उत्तरायणमार्गसे ब्रह्मलोकमें चले गये थे ।। स चेन्ममार सूंजय चतुर्भद्रतरस्त्वया । पुत्रात् पुण्यतरश्वैव मा पुत्रमनुतप्यथा:,“सूृंजय! राजा अम्बरीष चारों कल्याणकारी गुणोंमें तुमसे बढ़कर थे और तुम्हारे पुत्रसे बहुत अधिक पुण्यात्मा भी थे। जब वे भी जीवित न रह सके तो दूसरेके लिये क्या कहा जा सकता है? अतः तुम अपने मरे हुए पुत्रके लिये शोक न करो
teṣāṁ yajñe eka-lakṣa-daśa-sahasrāṇi rājānaḥ sevā-kāryaṁ kurvanti sma | te sarve aśvamedha-yajña-phalaṁ prāpya dakṣiṇāyanāt paścād āgacchatā uttarāyaṇa-mārgeṇa brahma-lokaṁ gatāḥ || sa cen mamāra sṛñjaya caturbhadra-taraḥ tvayā | putrāt puṇya-taraś caiva mā putram anutapyathāḥ ||
In his sacrifice, one hundred and ten thousand kings served in attendance. Having obtained the merit of the Aśvamedha, they all departed to Brahmaloka by the northern path (uttarāyaṇa) that comes after the sun’s southern course (dakṣiṇāyana). Vāyu said: “O Sṛñjaya, King Ambarīṣa was endowed with four auspicious virtues in a measure greater than yours, and he was far more meritorious than your son as well. If even he did not remain alive, what can be said of others? Therefore do not grieve for your departed son.”
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even the most virtuous and highly meritorious persons are subject to death; recognizing the inevitability of mortality, one should restrain excessive grief and return to steadiness in dharma.
Vāyu addresses King Sṛñjaya to console him for his son’s death, citing King Ambarīṣa and the vast Aśvamedha context to show that great merit and excellence do not prevent death, and thus lamentation should be moderated.