Shloka 4
Nārāyaṇopadeśa to Mārkaṇḍeya (Cosmic Self-Identification and Yuga Doctrine) | नारायणोपदेशः
मार्कण्डेय उवाच एवं पृष्टा प्रीतियुक्तेन तेन शुश्रूषुमीक्ष्योत्तमबुद्धियुक्तम् । ताक्ष्य विप्रं धर्मयुक्त हितं॑ च सरस्वती वाक्यमिदं बभाषे,मार्कण्डेयजी कहते हैं--राजन्! उनके इस प्रकार प्रेमपूर्वक पूछनेपर सरस्वतीदेवीने ब्रह्मर्षि ताक्ष्यको धर्मात्मा, उत्तम बुद्धिसे युक्त एवं श्रवणके लिये उत्सुक देखकर उनसे यह हितकर वचन कहा--
Mārkaṇḍeya uvāca: evaṁ pṛṣṭā prīti-yuktena tena śuśrūṣum īkṣyottama-buddhi-yuktam | tākṣyaṁ vipraṁ dharma-yuktaṁ hitaṁ ca Sarasvatī vākyam idaṁ babhāṣe ||
马尔坎德耶说道：“大王啊，他以恭敬爱慕之心如此发问时，萨拉斯瓦蒂见那婆罗门仙塔克夏安住于法，具上等智慧，且殷切欲闻，便对他说出如下有益而正直之言。”
मार्कण्डेय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical setting for instruction: when a question is asked with sincere affection and the listener is disciplined, intelligent, and dharma-oriented, the response should be 'hita'—beneficial and aligned with righteousness. It frames speech as responsible guidance, not mere information.
Mārkaṇḍeya narrates that Sarasvatī, having been asked lovingly, notices the brahmarṣi Tākṣya’s eagerness to hear and his sound judgment, and then begins to speak to him a wholesome, dharma-consistent counsel.