Shloka 17
Nāga-āyatana-darśana-pratīkṣā — The Brāhmaṇa’s Request and Waiting on the Gomatī
सर्वाश्रमाभिगमन सर्वतीर्थावगाहनम् । न तथा फलदं चापि नारायणकथा यथा
sarvāśramābhigamanaṁ sarvatīrthāvagāhanam | na tathā phaladaṁ cāpi nārāyaṇakathā yathā ||
阇那美阇耶说道：“纵使遍访诸仙住处，遍浴一切圣地渡口，其所得之果亦不如那罗延圣传所赐。聆听并宣说主的故事，在灵验上胜过一切外在朝圣。”
जनमेजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that devotion expressed through hearing and recounting Nārāyaṇa’s sacred narrative yields greater spiritual fruit than extensive external rites such as touring all āśramas and bathing at all tīrthas; inner orientation and God-centered remembrance are presented as superior.
In the Śānti Parva’s didactic setting, Janamejaya speaks in praise of Nārāyaṇa-kathā, contrasting it with the traditional merit of pilgrimages and ritual baths, thereby emphasizing the exceptional efficacy of sacred discourse about the Lord.