Shloka 11

नरनारायण-नारदसंवादः

Nara-Nārāyaṇa–Nārada Discourse on Vision, Elements, and Entry into Vāsudeva

Devanagari script

बड़े-बड़े संयमी, बुद्धिमान्‌ और चतुर मनुष्य भी समस्त कर्मोंसे श्रान्‍्त होकर असफल होते देखे जाते हैं |। अपरे बालिशा: सन्‍्तो निर्गुणा: पुरुषाधमा: । आशीर्भिरिष्यसंयुक्ता दृश्यन्ते सर्वकामिन:,किंतु दूसरे मूर्ख, गुणहीन और अधम मनुष्य भी किसीका आशीर्वाद न मिलनेपर भी सम्पूर्ण कामनाओंसे सम्पन्न दिखायी देते हैं

Transliteration

baḍe-baḍe saṁyamī, buddhimān ca catura manuṣyā api samasta-karmabhyaḥ śrāntāḥ san asaphalāḥ dṛśyante | apare bāliśāḥ santo nirguṇāḥ puruṣādhamāḥ | āśīrbhir iṣyasaṁyuktā dṛśyante sarvakāminaḥ ||

Translation

Nārada berkata: Bahkan orang-orang besar—yang menahan diri, cerdas, dan terampil—terlihat letih oleh segala upaya namun tetap gagal meraih keberhasilan. Sebaliknya, sebagian yang bodoh, tanpa kebajikan, dan hina tampak memiliki segala kenikmatan yang diinginkan, seolah-olah dianugerahi berkat.

Word by Word

• {'saṁyamī': 'self-restrained

• disciplined', 'buddhimān': 'intelligent

• discerning', 'catura': 'clever

• skillful', 'samasta-karman': 'all actions/undertakings

• the totality of one’s efforts', 'śrānta': 'weary

• exhausted', 'asaphala': 'unsuccessful

• fruitless', 'dṛśyante': 'are seen

• appear (in experience)', 'apare': 'others

• on the other hand', 'bāliśa': 'foolish

• childish in understanding', 'nirguṇa': 'without good qualities/merit

• lacking virtues', 'puruṣādhama': 'the lowest among men

• base person', 'āśīḥ / āśīrbhiḥ': 'blessing(s)

• benediction(s)', 'saṁyukta': 'endowed with

• connected with', 'sarva-kāmin': 'one who has all desires fulfilled

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nārada

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Outer success does not reliably track inner virtue: disciplined and wise people may fail, while foolish and unworthy people may flourish. The verse pushes the reader to consider karma across time, unseen causes, and the limits of judging righteousness by worldly outcomes.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada is speaking in a reflective, instructive mode, pointing out a common observation about the world—unequal results of effort and merit—to frame a broader discussion on dharma, karma, and the hidden determinants of fortune.