Shloka 113
पताकिनो मण्डलिन: फणावन्तश्न सर्वश: । (अनन्तश्न महानागो यं स दृष्टवा जलेश्वर: । अभ्यर्चयति सत्कारैरासनेन च त॑ विभुम् ।। वासुकिप्रमुखाश्वैव सर्वे प्राजजलय: स्थिता: । अनुज्ञाताश्व शेषेण यथा्हमुपविश्य च ।।) एते चान्ये च बहव: सर्पस्तिस्यां युधिष्ठिर । उपासते महात्मानं वरुण विगतक्क्लमा:
patākino maṇḍalinaḥ phaṇāvantaś ca sarvaśaḥ | (anantaś ca mahānāgo yaṃ sa dṛṣṭvā jaleśvaraḥ | abhyarcayati satkārair āsanena ca taṃ vibhum || vāsuki-pramukhāś caiva sarve prāñjalayaḥ sthitāḥ | anujñātāś ca śeṣeṇa yathāham upaviśya ca ||) ete cānye ca bahavaḥ sarpās tasyāṃ yudhiṣṭhira | upāsate mahātmānaṃ varuṇaṃ vigataklamāḥ ||
Nārada dit : «On y voit des serpents de toute espèce—portant des étendards, lovés en cercles, et couronnés de leurs capuchons. Lorsque paraît le grand serpent Ananta, le Seigneur des Eaux (Varuṇa) se lève pour honorer ce puissant être, lui offrant des présents respectueux et un siège. Vāsuki et les autres chefs des nāgas se tiennent debout, les mains jointes ; et, avec la permission de Śeṣa, je m’assis moi aussi comme il convenait. Ceux-ci et bien d’autres serpents, ô Yudhiṣṭhira, servent là le magnanime Varuṇa, sans la moindre lassitude.»
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage emphasizes reverent conduct and proper protocol in sacred or royal assemblies: even powerful beings honor one another according to rank and righteousness, showing that authority is strengthened—not diminished—by humility, hospitality, and orderly respect.
Nārada describes a divine setting associated with Varuṇa where many nāgas are present. Ananta/Śeṣa is honored by Varuṇa with formal courtesies, Vāsuki and other chief serpents stand with folded hands, and Nārada notes he sat only after receiving Śeṣa’s permission; the serpents continue to attend upon Varuṇa without fatigue.