अवगाह्य ततो भूमिम् उभौ मातलिनारदौ ॥
ददृशाते महात्मानौ लोकपालम् अपां पतिम् ॥
तत्र देवर्षिसदृशीं पूजां प्राप स नारदः ॥
महेन्द्रसदृशीं चैव मातलिः प्रत्यपद्यत ॥
ताव् उभौ प्रीतमनसौ कार्यवत्तां निवेद्य ह ॥
वरुणेनाभ्यनुज्ञातौ नागलोकं विचेरतुः ॥
नारदः सर्वभूतानाम् अन्तर्भूमिनिवासिनाम् ॥
जानंश् चकार व्याख्यानं यन्तुः सर्वम् अशेषतः ॥
नारद उवाच
दृष्टस् ते वरुणस् तात पुत्रपौत्रसमावृतः ॥
पश्योदकपतेः स्थानं सर्वतोभद्रम् ऋद्धिमत् ॥
avagāhya tato bhūmim ubhau mātalināradau ||
dadṛśāte mahātmānau lokapālam apāṃ patim ||
tatra devarṣisadṛśīṃ pūjāṃ prāpa sa nāradaḥ ||
mahendrasadṛśīṃ caiva mātaliḥ pratyapadyata ||
tāv ubhau prītamanasau kāryavattāṃ nivedya ha ||
varuṇenābhyanujñātau nāgalokaṃ viceratuḥ ||
nāradaḥ sarvabhūtānām antarbhūminivāsinām ||
jānaṃś cakāra vyākhyānaṃ yantuḥ sarvam aśeṣataḥ ||
nārada uvāca
dṛṣṭas te varuṇas tāta putrapautrasamāvṛtaḥ ||
paśyodakapateḥ sthānaṃ sarvatobhadram ṛddhimat ||
'You, O king, will in no way be their equal, should you seek to meet either of them.' And, turning to them, the king questioned these brahmins, saying: 'Where can these two heroes be found? In what lineage were they born? What feats have they achieved? And who are they?' And the brahmins answered him: 'We have heard that these two men are ascetics named Nara and Narayana. Both were born into the human race. Go and fight them, O king. It is this renowned pair, Nara and Narayana, who now practice the severest austerities in some hidden region of the Gandhamadana mountains.' The king at last came upon them, hidden in the forest, and, seeing these two finest of men, wasted by hunger and thirst, their veins swollen and visible, greatly suffering from cold winds and scorching sunlight, he approached them and, touching their feet, asked after their welfare, and the two rishis hospitably received the king, with fruits, roots, a seat, and water. And, turning to them, the king spoke to them the same words he was accustomed to speak to all, saying: 'The whole earth has been conquered by the might of my weapons. All my enemies are slain.'
ada85ec9711d · published Jul 17, 2026, 5:18:56 AM UTC
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This passage (5.96.6-10) develops the central theme of the Udyoga-parva: the effort toward peace is already underway against the backdrop of an inevitable war. Dharma reveals itself here through speech, the choice of an embassy, faithfulness to promises, and the responsibility kings bear for the consequences of their decisions.