Shloka 20

Adhyāya 96: Nārada Guides Mātali in Varuṇa’s Realm

Varuṇa-loka Darśana

Devanagari script

न मे देवमनुष्येषु गुणकेश्या: समो वर: । रूपतो दृश्यते कश्षिन्नागेषु भविता ध्रुवम्‌

Transliteration

na me devamanuṣyeṣu guṇakeśyāḥ samo varaḥ | rūpato dṛśyate kaścin nāgeṣu bhavitā dhruvam ||

Translation

迦ṇ婆对妻子说道：“夫人啊，在诸天与人间之中，我看不见有哪位俊美之士能与古那克西（Guṇakeśī）相称。然则在那伽界，必定会有与她相配之人。”

Word by Word

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• मे: of me / my
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Genitive, Singular

• देवमनुष्येषु: among gods and men
• देवमनुष्येषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + मनुष्य
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• गुणकेश्याः: of Guṇakeśī
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुणकेशी
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Singular

• समः: equal
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वरः: a bridegroom / suitor
• वरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• रूपतः: in respect of beauty / by appearance
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: रूप

• दृश्यते: is seen / appears
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: Present, 3rd, Singular, Ātmanepada, Passive/Reflexive (middle usage)

• कश्चित्: someone / any (one)
• कश्चित्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• नागेषु: among the Nāgas
• नागेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाग
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• भविता: will be / is sure to be (one who will be)
• भविता: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Periphrastic future (लुट्) agent-noun form, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ध्रुवम्: certainly / surely
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ध्रुव

Speaker

कण्व उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Kaṇva
• Guṇakeśī
• Devāḥ (gods)
• Manuṣyāḥ (humans)
• Nāgāḥ (Nāga-loka/serpent people)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A dharmic marriage is sought by assessing true suitability (samatva)—a match in worth and qualities—rather than limiting choices to one’s immediate sphere; responsible guardianship looks beyond convenience to what is fitting.

What is happening in the narrative?

Kaṇva tells his wife that no suitable, comparably worthy bridegroom for Guṇakeśī is found among gods or humans, and he concludes that a fitting match must exist among the Nāgas.