अध्याय ३५१ — उञ्छवृत्ति-व्रतसिद्धेः मानुषस्य परमगतिः
Sūrya–Nāga Dialogue on the Perfected Gleaner-Ascetic
यथागमं यथाज्ञानं निष्ठा नारायण: प्रभु: । न चैनमेवं जानन्ति तमोभूता विशाम्पते
vaiśampāyana uvāca | yathāgamaṃ yathājñānaṃ niṣṭhā nārāyaṇaḥ prabhuḥ | na cainam evaṃ jānanti tamobhūtā viśāṃpate nṛpaśreṣṭha |
Wika ni Vaiśampāyana: “Ayon sa āgama at ayon sa tunay na kaalaman, ang huling saligan at tiyak na kanlungan ay ang Panginoong Nārāyaṇa. Ngunit yaong nilamon ng dilim (kamangmangan), O panginoon ng bayan, O pinakamahusay sa mga hari, ay hindi Siya nakikilala sa ganitong paraan.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Scripture (āgama) and true knowledge (jñāna) converge on Nārāyaṇa as the ultimate foundation (niṣṭhā) and supreme Lord (prabhu). Spiritual failure is framed as epistemic and moral darkness: those overwhelmed by ignorance cannot recognize this highest truth.
In Vaiśampāyana’s ongoing instruction within Śānti Parva, he emphasizes a theological conclusion: the culmination of teachings and realizations is Nārāyaṇa, while many people—described as tamobhūtāḥ, ‘immersed in darkness’—remain unable to perceive Him as the final reality.