Shloka 13
वारुणी सभा — Varuṇa’s Divine Assembly
Nārada’s Description
सुहनुर्दुर्मुख: शुड्ख: सुमना: सुमतिस्तत: । घटोदरो महापार्शच: क्रथन: पिठरस्तथा,विरोचनपुत्र राजा बलि, पृथ्वीविजयी नरकासुर, प्रह्मद, विप्रचित्ति, कालखंज दानव, सुहनु, दुर्मुख, शंख, सुमना, सुमति, घटोदर, महापार्श्व, क्रथन, पिठर, विश्वरूप, स्वरूप, विरूप, महाशिरा, दशमुख रावण, वाली, मेघवासा, दशावर, टिट्टिभ, विटभूत, संहाद तथा इन्द्रतापन आदि सभी दैत्यों और दानवोंके समुदाय मनोहर कुण्डल, सुन्दर हार, किरीट तथा दिव्य वस्त्राभूषण धारण किये उस सभामें धर्मपाशधारी महात्मा वरुणदेवकी सदा उपासना करते हैं। वे सभी दैत्य वरदान पाकर शौर्यसम्पन्न हो मृत्युरहित हो गये हैं। उनका चरित्र एवं व्रत बहुत उत्तम है
suhanur durmukhaḥ śaṅkhaḥ sumanāḥ sumatis tataḥ | ghaṭodaro mahāpārśvaḥ krathanaḥ piṭharas tathā || virocanaputro rājā baliḥ pṛthivīvijayī narakāsuraḥ prahrādaḥ vipracittiḥ kālakhañja-dānavaḥ | suhanur durmukhaḥ śaṅkhaḥ sumanā sumatis tathā ghaṭodaro mahāpārśvaḥ krathanaḥ piṭharas tathā viśvarūpaḥ svarūpo virūpo mahāśirāḥ daśamukho rāvaṇaḥ vālī meghavāsā daśāvaraḥ ṭiṭṭibhaḥ viṭabhūtaḥ saṃhādaś cendra-tāpanaś cety-ādayaḥ sarve daitya-dānava-saṃghāḥ | te manohara-kuṇḍala-sundara-hāra-kirīṭa-divya-vastrābharaṇa-dhāriṇaḥ tasmin sabhāyāṃ dharma-pāśa-dhāriṇaṃ mahātmānaṃ varuṇaṃ devaṃ sadopāsate | te sarve varadānāt śaurya-sampannā mṛtyu-rahitā abhavan | teṣāṃ caritraṃ vrataṃ ca paramottamam ||
Nārada said: “Suhanu, Durmukha, Śaṅkha, Sumanas, Sumati; Ghaṭodara, Mahāpārśva, Krathana, Piṭhara; King Bali, son of Virocana; the earth-conquering Narakāsura; Prahlāda; Vipracitti; the Dānava Kālakhañja; and many others—Viśvarūpa, Svarūpa, Virūpa, Mahāśiras, the ten-headed Rāvaṇa, Vālī, Meghavāsa, Daśāvara, Ṭiṭṭibha, Viṭabhūta, Saṃhāda, Indratāpana, and the rest—these hosts of Daityas and Dānavas, adorned with charming earrings, splendid garlands, crowns, and divine garments and ornaments, continually worship in that assembly the great god Varuṇa, the noble bearer of the ‘noose of Dharma’. Having obtained boons, they have become valorous and free from death; their conduct and vows are declared to be exceedingly excellent.”
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames Varuṇa as a guardian of moral order (dharma/ṛta) whose ‘noose’ symbolizes accountability and restraint. Even beings classed as Daityas and Dānavas are depicted as capable of disciplined worship and vows, suggesting that ethical excellence (vrata, caritra) is defined by conduct and observance, not merely by birth or faction.
Nārada lists prominent Daityas and Dānavas present in the splendid assembly hall. Adorned with divine ornaments, they continually worship Varuṇa, described as the great-souled bearer of the dharma-noose. The passage adds that, through boons, they have become valorous and deathless, and that their vows and conduct are regarded as exemplary.