Shloka 18
Mātali’s Proposal for Guṇakeśī and Sumukha’s Audience with Indra
कण्व उवाच मातलिस्त्वेकमव्यग्र: सततं संनिरीक्ष्य वै पप्रच्छ नारदं तत्र प्रीतिमानिव चाभवत्,कण्व मुनि कहते हैं--राजन! तब मातलि स्थिरतापूर्वक एक नागका निरन्तर निरीक्षण करके प्रसन्न-से हो उठे और उन्होंने नारदजीसे पूछा
kaṇva uvāca | mātalis tv ekam avyagraḥ satataṃ saṃnirīkṣya vai papraccha nāradaṃ tatra prītimān iva cābhavat |
ກັນວະກ່າວວ່າ: ແລ້ວມາຕະລິ ບໍ່ວອກແວກ ໄດ້ຈ້ອງມອງນາກຜູ້ໜຶ່ງຢ່າງສະໝໍ້ສະເໝີ ແລະຢ່າງໝັ້ນຄົງ. ເມື່ອໃຈຮື້ນຊື່ນດັ່ງຜູ້ຍິນດີ ລາວຈຶ່ງຖາມນາຣະດະຢູ່ທີ່ນັ້ນ—ດັ່ງວ່າສິ່ງທີ່ເຫັນມີນັຍະເກີນກວ່າຮູບພາບພາຍນອກ.
कण्व उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights disciplined attention (avyagra) and respectful inquiry: careful observation followed by questioning a wise authority (Nārada) is presented as the proper way to understand signs, beings, or situations with deeper implications.
Kaṇva narrates that Mātali closely watches a particular nāga for some time; appearing pleased by what he perceives, he then turns to Nārada and asks him about it, setting up an explanatory exchange.