Shloka 13
Droṇa-parva Adhyāya 60: Arjuna’s return, auspicious omens, and mission delegation
शत्रुओंकी दशा और आशाका हनन करनेवाले सूंजय! राजा भगीरथने यज्ञोंमें प्रधान ज्ञानयज्ञ और ध्यानयज्ञको ग्रहण किया था। इसलिये किरणोंका पान करनेवाले महर्षिगण भी उस ब्रह्मलोकमें जितेन्द्रिय राजा भगीरथके निकट जाकर उसी स्थानपर रहनेकी इच्छा करते थे ।। स चेन्ममार सृञ्जय चतुर्भद्रतरस्त्वया । पुत्रात् पुण्यतरस्तुभ्यं मा पुत्रमनुतप्यथा:
śatrūṇāṃ daśāṃ ca āśāyāś ca hanana-kāraka sṛñjaya! rājā bhagīratho yajñeṣu pradhānaṃ jñāna-yajñaṃ dhyāna-yajñaṃ ca jagrāha; tasmāt kiraṇa-pāyino mahārṣayaḥ api tasmin brahma-loke jitendriyaṃ rājānaṃ bhagīrathaṃ samīpam upetya tatraiva sthātuṃ icchanti sma. sa cen mamāra sṛñjaya caturbhadra-taraḥ tvayā, putrāt puṇya-taraḥ tubhyaṃ mā putram anutapyathā.
Narada berkata: “Wahai Sṛñjaya, pematah keadaan dan harapan musuh! Raja Bhagīratha, di antara segala yajña, memilih terutama yajña pengetahuan dan yajña meditasi. Karena itu bahkan para maharṣi—peminum sinar matahari—di Brahmaloka pun mendekati raja Bhagīratha yang mengendalikan diri dan ingin tinggal di tempat itu juga. Jika putramu telah gugur, wahai Sṛñjaya, ia empat kali lebih utama darimu; bagimu ia lebih berjasa daripada seorang putra—maka janganlah engkau meratapi putramu.”
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
Nārada reframes bereavement through dharma: inner sacrifices—knowledge and meditation—are superior to external rites, and a virtuous death can be spiritually auspicious; therefore grief should be moderated by understanding of merit and higher destiny.
Nārada addresses Sṛñjaya, praising the spiritual stature associated with King Bhagīratha and Brahmaloka, and then consoles Sṛñjaya about the death of his son, urging him not to lament because the deceased is described as especially blessed and beneficial in merit.