Shloka 20
Adhyāya 348: Nāga–Nīgabhāryā Saṃvāda on Anger, Hope, and Ethical Response
त्रिगुणो विगुण श्षतुरात्मधर: पूर्तेष्टयोश्न फलभागहर: । विदधातु नित्यमजितो5तिचलो गतिमात्मगां सुकृतिनामृषीणाम्
vaiśampāyana uvāca | triguṇo viguṇaś catur-ātma-dharaḥ pūrteṣṭayoś ca phala-bhāga-haraḥ | vidadhātu nityam ajito 'ti-calo gatim ātma-gāṃ sukṛtinām ṛṣīṇām ||
毗湿摩波耶那说：虽与三德（guṇa）相应，实则超越三德；具足四重形相，并受取祭祀与公共施惠之果报分分——愿那永不败北、恒守坚住之主，常常赐予诸正行仙人由内而生、由自性觉知所起的至上归趣（解脱之命运）。
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse praises the Lord as both immanent (connected with the three guṇas and the fruits of ritual/charity) and transcendent (beyond guṇas), and presents liberation as His gift: the highest ‘gati’ arises from inward Self-knowledge and is granted to the righteous sages through divine grace.
In Vaiśampāyana’s narration within Śānti Parva’s didactic setting, a benedictory eulogy is offered to Śrīhari, identifying Him with the fourfold forms (Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna, Aniruddha) and praying that He bestow the supreme destiny upon meritorious ṛṣis.