Shloka 20
Adhyāya 223: Nāradasya Guṇa-kathana
Catalogue of Nārada’s Virtues
बहूनि वर्षपूगानि विहारे दीप्यत: श्रिया । सर्वा: पुष्करमालिन्य: सर्वा: काउ्चनसप्रभा:
bahūni varṣapūgāni vihāre dīpyataḥ śriyā | sarvāḥ puṣkaramālinyaḥ sarvāḥ kāñcanasaprabhāḥ ||
釈迦羅は言った。「数え尽くせぬ歳月の群れのあいだ、天上の遊楽において我らは栄光の輝きに照り映えてきた。彼女らは皆、蓮の花輪を戴き、皆、黄金の光を放っている。」
शक्र उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the allure and long duration of heavenly enjoyment—radiance, prosperity, and beauty—yet, in the broader ethical frame of Śānti Parva, such splendor is typically presented as the fruit of merit and therefore contingent, encouraging discernment and non-attachment rather than complacent indulgence.
Śakra (Indra) describes the sustained brilliance and luxurious adornment of celestial beings—lotus garlands and golden radiance—setting a scene of heavenly pleasure that often functions as a contrast to the higher pursuit of lasting good through dharma and inner restraint.