Shloka 2
Adhyāya 96: Nārada Guides Mātali in Varuṇa’s Realm
Varuṇa-loka Darśana
कण्व उवाच अक्षयश्चाव्ययश्रैव ब्रह्मा लोकपितामह: । तथैव भगवन्तौ तौ नरनारायणावृषी,कण्व बोले--राजन्! जैसे लोकपितामह ब्रह्मा अक्षय और अविनाशी हैं, उसी प्रकार वे दोनों भगवान् नर-नारायण ऋषि भी हैं
kaṇva uvāca akṣayaś cāvyayaś caiva brahmā lokapitāmahaḥ | tathaiva bhagavantau tau naranārāyaṇāv ṛṣī ||
กัณวะกล่าวว่า “ข้าแต่พระราชา! ดุจพรหมา—ปิตามหะแห่งโลกทั้งปวง—ผู้ไม่เสื่อมไม่สูญฉันใด ฤๅษีผู้ทรงภาคทั้งสอง นรและนารายณะ ก็ฉันนั้น เป็นผู้มีสภาวะทิพย์โดยแท้”
कण्व उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse affirms the imperishable, unchanging status of truly divine beings: as Brahmā is described as akṣaya and avyaya, so Nara and Nārāyaṇa are presented as enduring, venerable embodiments of sacred power—inviting reverence and trust in dharmic authority beyond transient worldly change.
Kaṇva addresses a king and elevates the stature of Nara and Nārāyaṇa by comparing them to Brahmā, the world-grandsire, emphasizing that these two sages are not ordinary ascetics but divine, timeless figures worthy of honor and heed.