Shloka 40
नारायणीयमाख्यानम् (Nārāyaṇīyam Ākhyānam) — Nārada’s Return and Hymnic Consolidation
इति जन्म गतिश्वैव शुकस्य भरतर्षभ । विस्तरेण समाख्याता यन्मां त्वं परिपृच्छसि
iti janma gatiś caiva śukasya bharatarṣabha | vistareṇa samākhyātā yan māṃ tvaṃ paripṛcchasi || bharataśreṣṭha yudhiṣṭhira |
ビーシュマは言った。「かくして、婆羅多族の雄牛よ、汝が我に問うたとおり、シュカの誕生とその後の歩み（宿命と究竟の到達）を詳しく説き明かした。婆羅多族の最勝者ユディシュティラよ、シュカデーヴァの出生と至上の境地への到達を、我は長く語り聞かせたのである。」
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse functions as a formal closure: Bhīṣma emphasizes faithful transmission of a spiritual exemplar’s life—Śuka’s birth and ultimate ‘gati’ (final attainment). Ethically, it underscores attentive inquiry by the student and complete, orderly instruction by the teacher, with liberation (parama-pada) as the highest human goal.
After Yudhiṣṭhira’s question, Bhīṣma concludes his detailed narration about Śukadeva—summarizing that he has explained both Śuka’s origin and his final spiritual destination, addressing Yudhiṣṭhira with honorific epithets.