Shloka 20
नारायणीयमाख्यानम् (Nārāyaṇīyam Ākhyānam) — Nārada’s Return and Hymnic Consolidation
दर्शयित्वा प्रभावं स्वं॑ ब्रह्मभूतो5$भवत् तदा । उधर शुकदेव वायुसे आकाशगामिनी ऊर्ध्वगतिका आश्रय ले अपना प्रभाव दिखाकर तत्काल ब्रह्मीभूत हो गये ।।
darśayitvā prabhāvaṃ svaṃ brahmabhūto 'bhavat tadā | mahāyogagatiṃ tv anyāṃ vyāsa utthāya mahātapāḥ ||
Bhīṣma dit : «Ayant manifesté sa puissance prodigieuse, il devint aussitôt un avec Brahman. Alors le grand ascète Vyāsa se leva et, adoptant un autre mode suprême de déplacement yogique, s’éleva et parvint en un instant au lieu même d’où Śuka avait jadis poursuivi sa route, fendant les cimes des montagnes. Cet endroit devint célèbre sous le nom de “Śukābhipatana”, et Vyāsa le vit».
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ideal of liberation through realization: Shuka, after manifesting spiritual potency, becomes ‘brahmabhūta’—established in Brahman—signifying transcendence beyond ordinary identity. It also presents yogic mastery as subordinate to the higher goal of Brahman-realization.
Shuka departs in a transcendent state after displaying his power. Vyasa, his father and a great ascetic, follows by adopting a supreme yogic mode of movement, ascending rapidly to the place associated with Shuka’s passage (remembered as Śukābhipatana), and observes that renowned spot.