Shloka 42
नरनारायण-नारदसंवादः
Nara-Nārāyaṇa–Nārada Discourse on Vision, Elements, and Entry into Vāsudeva
सर्वेषामृद्धिकामानामन्ये रथपुर:सरा: । मनुष्याश्ष गतस्त्रीका: शतशो विविधस्त्रिय:
sarveṣām ṛddhi-kāmānām anye ratha-puraḥsarāḥ | manuṣyāś ca gata-strīkāḥ śataśo vividha-striyaḥ ||
Semua orang menginginkan kekayaan dan kemakmuran; namun hanya sedikit yang melaju di barisan depan, naik kereta perang. Banyak lelaki hidup tanpa istri, sedangkan ratusan lelaki memiliki banyak istri dengan ragam kedudukan.
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the uneven distribution of worldly fortunes: although everyone seeks prosperity, only a few attain visible status and privilege, and even domestic life (marriage) is not uniformly available—some lack it while others possess it in excess. It implicitly urges reflection on desire, contentment, and the ethical use of prosperity.
Nārada is speaking in the Śānti Parva’s didactic setting, offering an observation about human society: universal longing for wealth contrasts with the reality that only a minority enjoy elite comforts (symbolized by chariots), while marital circumstances vary widely from deprivation to abundance.