Shloka 15
कण्वोपदेशः—नश्वरबलविवेकः तथा मातलिगुणकेश्याः आख्यानारम्भः
Kaṇva’s Counsel on Impermanent Power; Opening of the Mātali–Guṇakeśī Narrative
श्रूयेते ती महात्मानी नरनारायणावुभौ । तपो घोरमनिर्देश्यं तप्येते गन्धमादने,सुना है, वे दोनों महात्मा नर और नारायण गन्धमादन पर्वतपर ऐसी घोर तपस्या कर रहे हैं, जिसका वाणीद्वारा वर्णन नहीं हो सकता
śrūyete tau mahātmānau nara-nārāyaṇāv ubhau | tapo ghoraṃ anirdeśyaṃ tapyete gandhamādane ||
វៃសម្បាយនៈបាននិយាយថា៖ គេបានឮថា មហាបុរសទាំងពីរ នរ និង នារាយណៈ កំពុងធ្វើតបៈដ៏គួរឱ្យស្ញប់ស្ញែងលើភ្នំគន្ធមាទនៈ—តបៈដ៏អស្ចារ្យដល់ថ្នាក់ពាក្យសម្តីមិនអាចពណ៌នាបានពេញលេញ។
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse elevates tapas (disciplined austerity) as a supreme moral and spiritual force: true self-restraint and inner power can be so profound that ordinary language cannot capture it, implying that dharmic strength is rooted in inner discipline rather than mere outward action.
Vaiśaṃpāyana reports a traditional account that the two exalted figures Nara and Nārāyaṇa are residing on Mount Gandhamādana and performing an extremely formidable, indescribable austerity there.