Shloka 23

नारायणीयमाख्यानम् (Nārāyaṇīyam Ākhyānam) — Nārada’s Return and Hymnic Consolidation

Devanagari script

स्वयं पित्रा स्वरेणोच्चैस्त्रील्लॉकाननुनाद्य वै । शुकः सर्वगतो भूत्वा सर्वात्मा सर्वतोमुख:

Transliteration

svayaṁ pitrā svareṇoccais trīl lokān anunādya vai | śukaḥ sarvagato bhūtvā sarvātmā sarvatomukhaḥ ||

Translation

स्वयं पित्रा स्वरेणोच्चैस्त्रील्लोकाननुनाद्य वै । शुकः सर्वगतो भूत्वा सर्वात्मा सर्वतोमुखः ॥

Word by Word

स्वयम्himself

पित्राby (his) father

स्वरेणwith (his) voice/tone

उच्चैःaloud, loudly

त्रीन्three

लोकान्worlds

अनुनाद्यhaving resounded/caused to resound

वैindeed

शुकःŚuka

सर्वगतःall-pervading

भूत्वाhaving become

सर्वात्माwhose self is all; universal self

सर्वतःfrom all sides, everywhere

मुखःfaced/mouthed

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

Śuka

father (Vyāsa, implied)

three worlds (trailokya)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the culmination of spiritual realization: the sage transcends limited individuality and abides as the universal Self—symbolized by being “all-pervading” and “facing everywhere.” It frames liberation as identity with the Self of all beings rather than a private, isolated attainment.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhīṣma’s account, Śuka calls out loudly using his father’s voice so that the sound reaches the three worlds; simultaneously, he is described as becoming all-pervading and universal in awareness, indicating an extraordinary yogic/spiritual state associated with liberation.