Shloka 18
नागैः सह ब्राह्मणस्य अतिथिधर्म-व्रतसंवादः | The Brahmin’s Vow and the Nāgas’ Hospitality Appeal
प्रविशन्ति द्विजश्रेष्ठा: क्षेत्रज्ञ निर्गुणात्मकम् । सर्वावासं वासुदेवं क्षेत्रज्ञं विद्धि तत््वतः
praviśanti dvijaśreṣṭhāḥ kṣetrajña nirguṇātmakam | sarvāvāsaṃ vāsudevaṃ kṣetrajñaṃ viddhi tattvataḥ ||
ਨਾਰਦ ਨੇ ਆਖਿਆ—“ਹੇ ਦ੍ਵਿਜ-ਸ਼੍ਰੇਸ਼ਠ! ਜੋ ਤਿੰਨਾਂ ਗੁਣਾਂ ਤੋਂ ਮੁਕਤ ਹੋ ਜਾਂਦੇ ਹਨ, ਉਹ ਬਿਨਾ ਯਤਨ ਦੇ ਨਿਰਗੁਣ-ਸਰੂਪ ਖੇਤਰਜ੍ਞ ਪਰਮਾਤਮਾ ਵਿੱਚ ਪ੍ਰਵੇਸ਼ ਕਰਦੇ ਹਨ। ਸਭ ਦਾ ਆਵਾਸ ਵਾਸੁਦੇਵ ਹੀ ਤੱਤਵਤಃ ਖੇਤਰਜ੍ਞ ਹੈ—ਇਉਂ ਜਾਣੋ।”
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
Freedom from the three guṇas culminates in realization/entry into the attributeless Kṣetrajña (the witnessing Self). The verse identifies this ultimate Knower with Vāsudeva, teaching a unity of self-knowledge (jñāna) and the Supreme Lord as the indwelling reality of all.
In Śānti Parva’s instruction on liberation and right understanding, Nārada addresses the ‘best of the twice-born’ and explains the destination of those who transcend guṇas: they enter the nirguṇa Kṣetrajña. He then directs the listener to recognize Vāsudeva as that Kṣetrajña, the universal abode.