Shloka 20
Adhyāya 348: Nāga–Nīgabhāryā Saṃvāda on Anger, Hope, and Ethical Response
त्रिगुणो विगुण श्षतुरात्मधर: पूर्तेष्टयोश्न फलभागहर: । विदधातु नित्यमजितो5तिचलो गतिमात्मगां सुकृतिनामृषीणाम्
vaiśampāyana uvāca | triguṇo viguṇaś catur-ātma-dharaḥ pūrteṣṭayoś ca phala-bhāga-haraḥ | vidadhātu nityam ajito 'ti-calo gatim ātma-gāṃ sukṛtinām ṛṣīṇām ||
वैशम्पायन उवाच— त्रिगुणैः संबद्धोऽपि नितरां निर्गुणः, चतुर्व्यूहस्वरूपधारी (वासुदेव-संकर्षण-प्रद्युम्न-अनिरुद्धात्मकः), इष्टापूर्तयोः फलभागग्राही, नित्यं अजितोऽतिचलः, धैर्यमर्यादाभ्यां न कदाचन विचलितः स भगवान् श्रीहरिः पुण्यात्मनामृषीणामात्मज्ञानजन्यां सद्गतिं निरन्तरं विदधातु।
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse praises the Lord as both immanent (connected with the three guṇas and the fruits of ritual/charity) and transcendent (beyond guṇas), and presents liberation as His gift: the highest ‘gati’ arises from inward Self-knowledge and is granted to the righteous sages through divine grace.
In Vaiśampāyana’s narration within Śānti Parva’s didactic setting, a benedictory eulogy is offered to Śrīhari, identifying Him with the fourfold forms (Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna, Aniruddha) and praying that He bestow the supreme destiny upon meritorious ṛṣis.