Shloka 6
Adhyāya 223: Nāradasya Guṇa-kathana
Catalogue of Nārada’s Virtues
स एव हाुस्तमयते स सम विद्योतते दिश:
sa eva hāstamayate sa samaṁ vidyotate diśaḥ | sa eva yathāsamayaṁ ālasyaṁ chittvā samantād diśaḥ prakāśayati, sa evāstam eti sa eva varṣati | brahman! taṁ baliṁ ahaṁ mṛgayamāṇo ’pi na paśyāmi | tvaṁ me rājānaṁ balikaṁ ācakṣva ||
Bhīṣma disse: “Só ele se põe, e só ele resplandece de modo uniforme, iluminando as direções. No tempo devido, lançando fora toda indolência, ele clareia cada quadrante; ele também se põe, e ele também envia a chuva. Ó brâmane, embora eu procure esse Bali, não o encontro. Dize-me—aponta-me o rei Bali.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames righteous kingship as harmonizing with cosmic order: timely action, removal of laziness, and beneficent governance that ‘illumines the quarters’ and brings seasonal prosperity (symbolized by rain). It implies that a true ruler’s dharma is energetic, timely, and life-sustaining.
Bhishma describes an exemplary figure associated with regular, sun-like and rain-giving functions—suggesting an ideal sovereign whose conduct sustains the world. He then tells a Brahman that despite searching he cannot find that Bali, and asks the Brahman to identify or point out King Balika.