Shloka 5
Pātāla-varṇana (Nārada’s Description of the Netherworld) / पातालवर्णनम्
अहं ते सर्वमाख्यास्थे दर्शयन् वसुधातलम् । दृष्टवा तत्र वरं कंचिद् रोचयिष्याव मातले,“मैं तुम्हें पृथ्वीके नीचेके लोकोंको दिखाते हुए वहाँकी सब वस्तुओंका परिचय दूँगा। मातले! वहाँ हम दोनों किसी योग्य वरको देखकर पसंद करेंगे”
ahaṃ te sarvam ākhyāsthe darśayan vasudhātalam | dṛṣṭvā tatra varaṃ kaṃcid rocayiṣyāva mātale ||
Kanva berkata: “Aku akan menceritakan kepadamu segala-galanya, sambil memperlihatkan wilayah-wilayah di bawah bumi dan menerangkan apa yang terdapat di sana. Dan di sana, wahai Mātali, apabila kita berdua melihat seorang bakal suami yang layak, kita akan memilihnya.”
कण्व उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse emphasizes guided discernment in making a consequential choice: one should be shown the relevant circumstances, understand them fully, and then select a ‘vara’ (worthy person) based on merit rather than impulse.
Kaṇva addresses Mātali, promising to lead him through the realms beneath the earth, explain what is there, and together identify and choose a suitable bridegroom when they encounter one who is truly worthy.