Shloka 23
Nāga-āyatana-darśana-pratīkṣā — The Brāhmaṇa’s Request and Waiting on the Gomatī
तेभ्यो धन्यतरश्नैव नारद: परमेष्ठिज: । न चाल्पतेजसमृषिं वेझि नारदमव्ययम्
tebhyo dhanyataras tvaiva nāradaḥ parameṣṭhijaḥ | na cālpatejasam ṛṣiṁ vetsi nāradam avyayam ||
Janamejaya berkata: “Dalam kalangan mereka, engkau—Nārada, yang lahir daripada Sang Pencipta (Parameṣṭhin)—adalah yang paling diberkati. Kerana engkau tidak menganggap resi Nārada sebagai yang bersinar kecil; engkau mengetahuinya sebagai yang tidak binasa.”
जनमेजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
True discernment honors spiritual greatness: Nārada is to be understood not as a minor ascetic but as an imperishable, divinely empowered sage. The verse emphasizes recognizing authentic spiritual authority and inner radiance (tejas).
Janamejaya addresses Nārada, praising him as the most blessed among those being discussed, and underscores Nārada’s exalted status—born of Brahmā and known as ‘avyaya’ (imperishable)—contrasting this with any notion of him being of ‘small splendor’ (alpa-tejas).