Shloka 9
Udyoga Parva, Adhyāya 101: Bhogavatī-varṇana, Nāga-vaṃśa-kathana, and Sumukha-vivāha-prastāva
पश्चिमा वारुणी दिक् च धार्यते वै सुभद्रया । महानुभावया नित्यं मातले विश्वरूपया,मातले! महाप्रभावशालिनी विश्वरूपा सुभद्रा नामवाली सुरभिकन्याके द्वारा वरुणदेवकी पश्चिमदिशा धारण की जाती है
paścimā vāruṇī dik ca dhāryate vai subhadrayā | mahānubhāvayā nityaṃ mātale viśvarūpayā, mātale! mahāprabhāvaśālinī viśvarūpā subhadrā nāmavālī surabhikanyākē dvārā varuṇadevasya paścimadiśā dhāryate |
नारद उवाच—मातले! वरुणस्य पश्चिमां दिक् नित्यं सुभद्रया धार्यते; सा महानुभावा विश्वरूपा महाप्रभावशालिनी सुरभिकन्या सुभद्रा नाम।
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights cosmic dharma: the world’s order is sustained through assigned responsibilities (here, the western quarter of Varuṇa) borne by powerful beings; authority is shown as service—upholding stability rather than mere dominance.
Nārada addresses Mātali and describes a cosmological arrangement: the western direction associated with Varuṇa is continually upheld by a mighty, many-formed maiden named Subhadrā, presented as a guardian/support of that quarter.