Shloka 9
Udyoga Parva, Adhyāya 101: Bhogavatī-varṇana, Nāga-vaṃśa-kathana, and Sumukha-vivāha-prastāva
पश्चिमा वारुणी दिक् च धार्यते वै सुभद्रया । महानुभावया नित्यं मातले विश्वरूपया,मातले! महाप्रभावशालिनी विश्वरूपा सुभद्रा नामवाली सुरभिकन्याके द्वारा वरुणदेवकी पश्चिमदिशा धारण की जाती है
paścimā vāruṇī dik ca dhāryate vai subhadrayā | mahānubhāvayā nityaṃ mātale viśvarūpayā, mātale! mahāprabhāvaśālinī viśvarūpā subhadrā nāmavālī surabhikanyākē dvārā varuṇadevasya paścimadiśā dhāryate |
Nārada dit : «Ô Mātali ! Le quartier de l’Ouest—qui appartient à Varuṇa—est à jamais soutenu par Subhadrā, femme de haute stature spirituelle et aux formes innombrables. Douée d’une grande puissance, la jeune fille née de Surabhī, nommée Subhadrā, porte la garde de l’Occident de Varuṇa.»
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights cosmic dharma: the world’s order is sustained through assigned responsibilities (here, the western quarter of Varuṇa) borne by powerful beings; authority is shown as service—upholding stability rather than mere dominance.
Nārada addresses Mātali and describes a cosmological arrangement: the western direction associated with Varuṇa is continually upheld by a mighty, many-formed maiden named Subhadrā, presented as a guardian/support of that quarter.