Shloka 37
Nārada’s Darśana of Viśvarūpa Nārāyaṇa and the Caturmūrti Doctrine (नारदस्य नारायणदर्शनं चतुर्मूर्तिविचारश्च)
यदा स्तुतिं च निनन््दां च समत्वेनैव पश्यति । काज्चनं चायसं चैव सुखं दुःखं तथैव च
yadā stutiṁ ca nindāṁ ca samatvenaiva paśyati | kāñcanaṁ cāyasaṁ caiva sukhaṁ duḥkhaṁ tathaiva ca ||
जब मनुष्य स्तुति और निन्दा को समभाव से देखता है, और सोना तथा लोहा, सुख तथा दुःख को भी समान मानता है—तब वह भीतर की समता में स्थित होकर साक्षात् ब्रह्मभाव को प्राप्त होता है।
जनक उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches samatva (equanimity): one should remain inwardly equal toward praise and blame, and toward pairs of opposites like valuable and worthless metals or pleasure and pain. Such steadiness indicates freedom from ego-driven reactions and supports realization of Brahman.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on liberation and right conduct, King Janaka speaks as a teacher of renunciation-in-wisdom, describing the mark of a realized person: an even vision that is not disturbed by social judgment or worldly contrasts.