Shloka 23

Devanagari script

तेभ्यो धन्यतरश्नैव नारद: परमेष्ठिज: । न चाल्पतेजसमृषिं वेझि नारदमव्ययम्‌

Transliteration

tebhyo dhanyataras tvaiva nāradaḥ parameṣṭhijaḥ | na cālpatejasam ṛṣiṁ vetsi nāradam avyayam ||

Translation

Janamejaya said: “Among them, you—Nārada, born of the Creator (Parameṣṭhin)—are the most blessed. For you do not recognize the sage Nārada as one of little splendor; you know him as imperishable.”

Word by Word

तेभ्यःfrom them / than them

धन्यतरःmore blessed / more fortunate

नnot

एवindeed / just

नारदःNārada

परमेष्ठिजःthe son of Paramēṣṭhin (Brahmā) / Brahmā-born

नnot

चand

अल्पतेजसम्of little splendor/energy

ऋषिम्sage

विद्धिknow (you)! / understand!

नारदम्Nārada

अव्ययम्imperishable / undecaying

Speaker

जनमेजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Janamejaya

Narada

Parameshthin (Brahma)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

True discernment honors spiritual greatness: Nārada is to be understood not as a minor ascetic but as an imperishable, divinely empowered sage. The verse emphasizes recognizing authentic spiritual authority and inner radiance (tejas).

What is happening in the narrative?

Janamejaya addresses Nārada, praising him as the most blessed among those being discussed, and underscores Nārada’s exalted status—born of Brahmā and known as ‘avyaya’ (imperishable)—contrasting this with any notion of him being of ‘small splendor’ (alpa-tejas).