Shloka 2
Nāga-āyatana-darśana-pratīkṣā — The Brāhmaṇa’s Request and Waiting on the Gomatī
सर्वाश्रमाभिगमन सर्वतीर्थावगाहनम् | न तथा फलदं सौते नारायणकथा यथा,सूतकुमार! सम्पूर्ण ऋषि-आश्रमोंकी यात्रा करना और समस्त तीर्थोमें स्नान करना भी वैसा फलदायक नहीं है, जैसी कि भगवान् नारायणकी कथा है
śaunaka uvāca | sarvāśramābhigamanaṁ sarvatīrthāvagāhanam | na tathā phaladaṁ saute nārāyaṇakathā yathā, sūtakumāra |
Śaunaka disse: “Ó Sauta, ó filho do Sūta, mesmo visitar todos os eremitérios dos sábios e banhar-se em todos os vados sagrados não produz fruto igual ao que se obtém ao ouvir e contemplar a narrativa sagrada de Nārāyaṇa. A história do Senhor supera as peregrinações externas em eficácia espiritual.”
शौनक उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that devotion expressed through hearing and engaging with Nārāyaṇa’s sacred narrative yields greater spiritual fruit than external acts like touring all sages’ hermitages or bathing at every pilgrimage site; inner orientation and transformative listening are superior to mere ritual travel.
Śaunaka addresses the Sūta narrator (Ugraśravas) and elevates the value of Nārāyaṇa-kathā, urging that the forthcoming discourse about the Lord is more efficacious than comprehensive pilgrimage and ritual bathing.