Shloka 69
अध्याय ३५१ — उञ्छवृत्ति-व्रतसिद्धेः मानुषस्य परमगतिः
Sūrya–Nāga Dialogue on the Perfected Gleaner-Ascetic
यथागमं यथाज्ञानं निष्ठा नारायण: प्रभु: । न चैनमेवं जानन्ति तमोभूता विशाम्पते,नृपश्रेष्ठ! सम्पूर्ण पाउचरात्रके ज्ञाता तो साक्षात् भगवान् नारायण ही हैं। यदि वेदशास्त्र और अनुभवके अनुसार विचार किया जाय तो इन सभी ज्ञानोंमें इनके परम तात्पर्यरूपसे भगवान् नारायण ही स्थित दिखायी देते हैं। प्रजानाथ! जो अज्ञानमें डूबे हुए हैं, वे लोग भगवान् श्रीहरिको इस रूपमें नहीं जानते हैं
vaiśampāyana uvāca | yathāgamaṃ yathājñānaṃ niṣṭhā nārāyaṇaḥ prabhuḥ | na cainam evaṃ jānanti tamobhūtā viśāṃpate nṛpaśreṣṭha |
Vaiśampāyana said: “In accordance with scripture and with true knowledge, the final ground and sure refuge is the Lord Nārāyaṇa. Yet those engulfed in darkness (ignorance), O lord of the people, O best of kings, do not recognize Him in this way.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Scripture (āgama) and true knowledge (jñāna) converge on Nārāyaṇa as the ultimate foundation (niṣṭhā) and supreme Lord (prabhu). Spiritual failure is framed as epistemic and moral darkness: those overwhelmed by ignorance cannot recognize this highest truth.
In Vaiśampāyana’s ongoing instruction within Śānti Parva, he emphasizes a theological conclusion: the culmination of teachings and realizations is Nārāyaṇa, while many people—described as tamobhūtāḥ, ‘immersed in darkness’—remain unable to perceive Him as the final reality.