Shloka 2
नरनारायण-नारदसंवादः
Nara-Nārāyaṇa–Nārada Discourse on Vision, Elements, and Entry into Vāsudeva
स्वभावाद् यत्नमातिषछेद् यत्नवान् नावसीदति । जरामरणरोगेभ्य: प्रियमात्मानमुद्धरेत्,अतः मनुष्यको स्वभावत: ज्ञानप्राप्तिके लिये यत्न करना चाहिये; क्योंकि यत्न करनेवाला पुरुष कभी दु:खमें नहीं पड़ता। आत्मा सबसे बढ़कर प्रिय है; अतः जरा, मृत्यु और रोगोंके कष्टसे उसका उद्धार करे
svabhāvād yatnam ātiṣṭhet yatnavān nāvasīdati | jarāmaraṇarogebhyaḥ priyam ātmānam uddharet ||
Nārada said: By one’s very nature, one should undertake earnest effort; for the person who strives does not sink into misery. Since the self is dearest of all, one should rescue oneself from the afflictions of old age, death, and disease—through disciplined endeavor and the pursuit of true understanding.
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
One should actively strive—especially for wisdom and inner uplift—because diligent effort prevents one from collapsing into suffering. Since one’s own self is most precious, one must work to free oneself from the bondage of aging, death, and disease (i.e., the existential condition of saṃsāra) through disciplined endeavor.
In Śānti Parva’s instruction-oriented setting, Nārada delivers a concise ethical-spiritual maxim: do not remain passive; undertake purposeful effort, and prioritize one’s own liberation and well-being over negligence, remembering the inevitability of old age, death, and illness.