Shloka 10
Pātāla-varṇana (Nārada’s Description of the Netherworld) / पातालवर्णनम्
नारद उवाच दृष्टस्ते वरुण: सूत पुत्रपौत्रसमावृत: । पश्योदकपते: स्थान सर्वतोभद्रमृद्धिमत्
nārada uvāca dṛṣṭas te varuṇaḥ sūta putrapautrasamāvṛtaḥ | paśyodakapateḥ sthānaṃ sarvatobhadram ṛddhimat |
Nārada dit : «Ô Sūta, tu as contemplé Varuṇa, entouré de ses fils et de ses petits-fils. Vois la demeure du Seigneur des Eaux—prospère et éclatante—que l’on nomme Sarvatobhadra.»
कण्व उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights Varuṇa as a guardian of waters and moral-cosmic order (ṛta), portraying prosperity and auspiciousness as natural accompaniments of rightful, well-ordered sovereignty. It implicitly links ethical order with abundance and stability.
Nārada addresses the Sūta and points out that he has already seen Varuṇa surrounded by his descendants. He then directs attention to Varuṇa’s splendid residence, identifying it by name as Sarvatobhadra.