Shloka 4
Āścarya-kathana: Brāhmaṇa–Nāga Dialogue on Sūrya (Vivasvat) and the ‘Second Sun’ Phenomenon
नूनमेकान्तधर्मो<यं श्रेष्ठो नारायणप्रिय: । अगत्वा गतयस्तिस््रो यद् गच्छत्यव्ययं हरिम्
nūnam ekāntadharmo ’yaṃ śreṣṭho nārāyaṇapriyaḥ | agatvā gatayas tisro yad gacchaty avyayaṃ harim |
Janamejaya dit : «Assurément, cette voie de dévotion exclusive est la plus haute et la plus chère à Nārāyaṇa. Car celui qui s’y réfugie ne traverse pas les trois destinations ordinaires ; il va droit vers Hari l’impérissable, atteignant la suprême quatrième fin.»
जनमेजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Single-minded devotion (ekānta-dharma) to Nārāyaṇa is presented as the श्रेष्ठ (highest) path because it leads directly to the imperishable Lord (Hari), surpassing the usual three destinations and culminating in the supreme, final attainment.
Janamejaya, inquiring within the Śānti Parva’s teachings on dharma and liberation, affirms the excellence of exclusive devotion: he notes that devotees who take refuge in this discipline bypass intermediate post-mortem courses and reach Hari directly.