Shloka 17
धर्मस्य बहुद्वारत्वम् — Nārada’s Audience with Indra (Śānti-parva 340)
वर एष ममात्यन्तं दृष्टस्त्वं यत्ू सनातन: । भगवन् विश्वदृक् सिंह: सर्वमूर्तिर्महान् प्रभु:,भगवन्! आप सम्पूर्ण विश्वके द्रष्टा, सिंहके समान निर्भय, सर्वस्वरूप, महान् एवं सनातन प्रभु हैं। आपका जो दर्शन हो गया, यही मेरे लिये सबसे बड़ा वरदान है
vara eṣa mamātyantaṃ dṛṣṭas tvaṃ yato sanātanaḥ | bhagavan viśvadṛk siṃhaḥ sarvamūrtir mahān prabhuḥ ||
Nārada said: “This is the supreme boon for me—that I have beheld you, the Eternal One. O Blessed Lord, you are the seer of the whole universe, fearless like a lion, assuming all forms, the great and sovereign Master. To have your vision is itself my highest reward.”
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that direct vision of the Eternal Lord (darśana) is itself the highest blessing—surpassing external gifts—because the Lord is all-seeing, fearless, omniform, and the supreme sovereign.
Nārada addresses the Lord in reverent praise, declaring that merely having seen Him is Nārada’s greatest boon, and describing the Lord’s cosmic attributes: all-seeing, lion-like fearlessness, and omniform greatness.