Shloka 51
Sūrya-stava: Dhaumya’s Counsel and the Aṣṭaśata-nāma of Sūrya
न तथा सुखयत्यग्निर्न प्रावारा न कम्बला: | शीतवातार्दितं लोक॑ यथा तव मरीचय:,शीतकालकी वायुसे पीड़ित जगत्को अग्नि, कम्बल और वस्त्र भी उतना सुख नहीं देते जितना आपकी किरणें देती हैं
na tathā sukhayaty agnir na prāvārā na kambalāḥ | śītavātārditaṃ lokaṃ yathā tava marīcayaḥ ||
Yudhiṣṭhira said: “Neither fire, nor woollen wraps, nor blankets gladden people as much as your rays do, when the world is afflicted by cold winds.”
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights gratitude and discernment: natural beneficence (the sun’s rays) can surpass human-made comforts, reminding a dharmic person to recognize and honor sources of welfare for all beings.
In the forest setting of the Vana Parva, Yudhiṣṭhira addresses a radiant presence (implicitly the sun or one associated with it), observing that in the season of cold winds, people find greater relief from its rays than from fire or warm coverings.