Bhishma Introduces Narada's Tale to Indra

Verse 1 (12.362.1)

धर्माः पितामहेनोक्ता मोक्षधर्माश्रिताः शुभाः । धर्ममाश्रमिणां श्रेष्ठं वक्तुमर्हति मे भवान् ॥

dharmāḥ pitāmahenoktā mokṣadharmāśritāḥ śubhāḥ | dharmamāśramiṇāṃ śreṣṭhaṃ vaktumarhati me bhavān

The excellent dharmas that lead to liberation have been taught by the Grandsire. Be pleased to tell me the best dharma of the orders of life.

Verse 2 (12.362.2)

सर्वत्र विहितो धर्मः सत्यः सत्यफलोदयः । बहुद्वारस्य धर्मस्य नेहास्ति विफला क्रिया ॥

sarvatra vihito dharmaḥ satyaḥ satyaphalodayaḥ | bahudvārasya dharmasya nehāsti viphalā kriyā

Dharma is prescribed everywhere; it is real and bears real fruit. Dharma has many doors, and here no action is without fruit.

Verse 3 (12.362.3)

यस्मिन्यस्मिंश्च विषये यो यो याति विनिश्चयम् । स तमेवाभिजानाति नान्यं भरतसत्तम ॥

yasminyasmiṃśca viṣaye yo yo yāti viniścayam | sa tamevābhijānāti nānyaṃ bharatasattama

Whatever the field in which each man reaches a settled conviction, that alone he knows, and not another, best of the Bharatas.

Verse 4 (12.362.4)

इमां च त्वं नरव्याघ्र श्रोतुमर्हसि मे कथाम् । पुरा शक्रस्य कथितां नारदेन महर्षिणा ॥

imāṃ ca tvaṃ naravyāghra śrotumarhasi me kathām | purā śakrasya kathitāṃ nāradena maharṣiṇā

And you ought to hear from me this story, tiger among men, which the great sage Narada told long ago to Shakra.

Verse 5 (12.362.5)

महर्षिर्नारदो राजन्सिद्धस्त्रैलोक्यसंमतः । पर्येति क्रमशो लोकान्वायुरव्याहतो यथा ॥

maharṣirnārado rājansiddhastrailokyasaṃmataḥ | paryeti kramaśo lokānvāyuravyāhato yathā

The great sage Narada, O king, is an accomplished one honoured in the three worlds; he travels the worlds in turn, unhindered like the wind.

Verse 6 (12.362.6)

स कदाचिन्महेष्वास देवराजालयं गतः । सत्कृतश्च महेन्द्रेण प्रत्यासन्नगतोऽभवत् ॥

sa kadācinmaheṣvāsa devarājālayaṃ gataḥ | satkṛtaśca mahendreṇa pratyāsannagato'bhavat

Once, O great archer, he went to the palace of the king of the gods, and, honoured by great Indra, he sat down close by.

Verse 7 (12.362.7)

तं कृतक्षणमासीनं पर्यपृच्छच्छचीपतिः । महर्षे किंचिदाश्चर्यमस्ति दृष्टं त्वयाऽनघ ॥

taṃ kṛtakṣaṇamāsīnaṃ paryapṛcchacchacīpatiḥ | maharṣe kiṃcidāścaryamasti dṛṣṭaṃ tvayā'nagha

When he had sat down at ease, Shachi's lord asked him: "Great sage, have you seen any wonder, sinless one?

Note on the text: Corrected पर्यपृच्छच्छत्तीपतिः → पर्यपृच्छच्छचीपतिः (misprint in Wikisource; त्ती for ची; CE śacīpatiḥ (शची, Indra's wife)).

Verse 8 (12.362.8)

दृष्टमेव हि विप्रर्षे त्रैलोक्यं सचराचरम् । जातकौतूहलो नित्यं सिद्धश्चरसि साक्षिवत् ॥

dṛṣṭameva hi viprarṣe trailokyaṃ sacarācaram | jātakautūhalo nityaṃ siddhaścarasi sākṣivat

You have seen, brahmin sage, the three worlds with all that moves and does not move; ever curious, you wander, perfect, like a witness.

Note on the text: No heading on the page: Indra's direct speech (a question to Narada) fills the whole verse; the CE has Bhishma narrating throughout 12.340.2-11.

Verse 9 (12.362.9)

न ह्यस्त्यविदितं लोके देवर्षे तव किंचन । श्रुतं वाऽप्यनुभूतं वा दृष्टं वा कथयस्व मे ॥

na hyastyaviditaṃ loke devarṣe tava kiṃcana | śrutaṃ vā'pyanubhūtaṃ vā dṛṣṭaṃ vā kathayasva me

There is nothing in the world unknown to you, divine sage. Tell me what you have heard, experienced or seen."

Note on the text: No heading on the page: Indra's direct speech, filling the whole verse.

Verse 10 (12.362.10)

तस्मै राजन्सुरेन्द्राय नारदो वदतांवरः । आसीनायोपपन्नाय प्रोक्तवान्विपुलां कथाम् ॥

tasmai rājansurendrāya nārado vadatāṃvaraḥ | āsīnāyopapannāya proktavānvipulāṃ kathām

To that king of the gods, O king, as he sat there fitly, Narada, best of speakers, told a long story.

Verse 11 (12.362.11)

यथा येन च कल्पेन स तस्मै द्विजसत्तमः । कथां कथितवान्पृष्टस्तथा त्वमपि मे शृणु ॥

yathā yena ca kalpena sa tasmai dvijasattamaḥ | kathāṃ kathitavānpṛṣṭastathā tvamapi me śṛṇu

Listen to me also, in the same manner and order in which that best of brahmins, when asked, told him the story.