Shloka 13
Śatarudrīya-prabhāva and Rudra’s Supremacy (शतरुद्रीयप्रभावः)
दृष्टवा मुनिगणस्यासीत् परा प्रीतिर्जनार्दन । माधव! वह अनुपम पर्वत भ्रमरोंके गीतोंसे अत्यन्त सुशोभित हो रहा था। जनार्दन! वह स्थान अत्यन्त भयंकर होनेपर भी महान् उत्सवसे सम्पन्न-सा प्रतीत होता था। उसे देखकर मुनियोंके समुदायको बड़ी प्रसन्नता हुई ।।
nārada uvāca | dṛṣṭvā munigaṇasyāsīt parā prītir janārdana | mādhava! sa anupamaḥ parvataḥ bhramarāṇāṃ gītaiḥ atyantaṃ suśobhitaḥ babhūva | janārdana! tat sthānam atyanta-bhayaṅkaraṃ sat api mahotsava-sampannaṃ iva pratīyate sma | taṃ dṛṣṭvā munīnāṃ samūhasya mahān harṣaḥ samajāyata || mahābhāgā munayaḥ siddhāś caiva ūrdhvaretaś ca | marutaḥ sarve mahābhūtāś ca tatraiva āsan samāgatāḥ | vasavaḥ sādhyāḥ indra-sahitā viśve-devāḥ yakṣā nāgāḥ piśācāḥ lokapālāḥ agniḥ sarvāṇi vāyavaś ca pradhāna-bhūtāni ca tatra samāgatāni ||
Nārada dit : «Ô Janārdana, lorsque la compagnie des sages le vit, elle fut saisie d’une joie suprême. Ô Mādhava, cette montagne sans pareille était d’une beauté extrême, parée des chants des abeilles. Ô Janārdana, bien que le lieu fût terrifiant à l’excès, il semblait revêtu de la splendeur d’un grand festival. À cette vue, l’assemblée des sages éprouva une grande allégresse. Là s’étaient rassemblés les sages hautement fortunés, les Siddha et les ascètes fermes dans la continence; les Marut et les grandes puissances des éléments y étaient aussi. Les Vasu, les Sādhya, les Viśvedevas avec Indra, ainsi que les Yakṣa et les Nāga, les Piśāca, les gardiens des directions, Agni, tous les vents et les êtres élémentaires principaux—tous s’y étaient assemblés.»
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights how a place that appears outwardly fearsome can, in a dharmic and sacred context, be experienced as auspicious and celebratory. It also underscores the Mahābhārata’s vision of cosmic harmony: sages, gods, elemental powers, and various beings converge around sanctity and tapas (ascetic power), suggesting that spiritual merit draws the whole cosmos into ordered presence.
Nārada describes to Janārdana/Mādhava a remarkable mountain-site. The sages, delighted by its beauty (notably the bees’ song), perceive it as festival-like despite its terrifying aspect. Then Nārada lists the vast assembly present there—sages and Siddhas, celibate ascetics, the Maruts, major divine classes (Vasus, Sādhyas, Viśvedevas with Indra), and other beings (Yakṣas, Nāgas, Piśācas), along with the directional guardians, Agni, winds, and elemental powers.