Shloka 1
माधवी-प्रदानम् (Mādhavī Offered to Gālava) — Udyoga Parva 113
अत-#--#कत चतुर्दशाधिकशततमो< ध्याय: गरुड़ और गालवका राजा ययातिके यहाँ जाकर गुरुको देनेके लिये श्यामकर्ण घोड़ोंकी याचना करना नारद उवाच अथाह गालवं दीन सुपर्ण: पततां वर: । निर्मितं वह्निना भूमौ वायुना शोधितं तथा । यस्माद्धिरण्मयं सर्व हिरण्यं तेन चोच्यते,नारदजी कहते हैं--तदनन्तर पक्षियोंमें श्रेष्ठ गरुड़ने दीन-दुःखी गालव मुनिसे इस प्रकार कहा--'पृथ्वीके भीतर जो उसका सारतत्त्व है, उसे तपाकर अग्निने जिसका निर्माण किया है और उस अग्निको उद्दीप्त करनेवाली वायुने जिसका शोधन किया है, उस सुवर्णको हिरण्य कहते हैं। यह सम्पूर्ण जगत् हिरण्यप्रधान है; इसलिये भी उसे हिरण्य कहते हैं!
nārada uvāca |
athāha gālavaṃ dīnaḥ suparṇaḥ patatāṃ varaḥ |
nirmitaṃ vahninā bhūmau vāyunā śodhitaṃ tathā |
yasmād hiraṇmayaṃ sarvaṃ hiraṇyaṃ tena cocyate ||
Nārada disse: Então Suparṇa (Garuda), o melhor das aves, falou ao aflito Gālava: «Esse ouro, a essência no interior da terra, é formado pelo aquecimento do fogo e também purificado pelo vento que atiça esse fogo. Como tudo é permeado pelo princípio dourado, por isso é chamado ‘hiraṇya’ (ouro).»
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames gold (hiraṇya) as a refined essence drawn from the earth and purified through transformative forces (fire and wind), suggesting an ethical metaphor: what is valuable is not merely found but purified and made fit—paralleling how virtues are refined through discipline and trial.
Narada narrates that Garuda, the foremost bird, addresses the distressed sage Galava and begins explaining the nature and naming of gold, setting up the broader episode in which resources (wealth/means) are discussed in connection with Galava’s quest to fulfill his obligation.