वैशम्पायन उवाच ततः पाण्डवाः पुनर्मार्कण्डेयमूचुः॥
Vaishampayana said: Thereupon the Pandavas again thus spoke to Markandeya.
कथितं ब्राह्मणमहाभाग्यं राजन्यमहाभाग्यमिदानी शुश्रूषामह इति तानुवाच मार्कण्डेयो महर्षिः श्रूयतामिति इदानीं राजन्यानां महाभाग्यमिति। कुरूणामन्यतमः सुहोत्रो राजा महर्षीनभिगम्य निवृत्य रथस्थमेव नमौशीनरं शिबिं ददर्शाभिमुखं तौ समेत्य परस्परेण यथावयः पूजां प्रयुज्य गुणसाम्येन परस्परेण तुल्यात्मानौ विदित्वान्योन्यस्य पन्थानं न ददतुस्तत्र नारदः प्रादुरासीत् किमिदं भवन्तौ परस्परस्य पन्थानमावृत्य तिष्ठत इति॥ नाम
"You have spoken to us about the greatness of the Brahmanas, we now desire to hear about the greatness of the royal order the Kshatriyas." To them replied the great Rishi Markandeya, "Hear now of the greatness of the royal order." A king of the Kuru dynasty named Suhotra went on a visit to the great Rishis and as he was returning he saw king Shivi, the son of Ushinara. As they met, they each saluted the other as best fitted to his age. Considering each equal to the other, they did not allow way to each other. At this time Narada came. (He said) why are, you standing here thus blocking each others way?
तावूचतुर्नारदं नैतद् भगवन् पूर्वकर्मकादिभि-विशिष्टस्य पन्था उपदिश्यते समर्थाय वा आवां च सख्यं परस्परेणोपगतौ तच्चावधानतोऽत्युत्कृष्टमधरोत्तरंपरिभ्रष्टं नारदस्त्वेवमुक्तः श्लोकत्रयमपठयत्॥
They said to Narada, “O exalted one, you should not speak thus. The sages of old have said that way should be given to one who is superior or abler. We that stand blocking each other's way are equal to each other in every respect. If properly judged, there is no superiority or inferiority between us." Having been thus addressed, Narada recited the following words.
क्रूरः कौरव्य मृदवे मृदुः क्रूरे च कौरव। साधुश्चासाधवे साधुः साधवे नाप्नुयात् कथम्॥
O descendant of Kuru, he who is cruel behaves cruelly towards even those who are humble and he who is humble behaves humbly and honestly towards even those are wicked. He who is honest behaves honestly towards even those who are dishonest, why then should not he behave honestly with one who is honest.
कृतं शतगुणं कुर्यान्नास्ति देवेषु निर्णयः। औशीनरः साधुशीलो भवतो वै महीपतिः॥
He who is honest considers the service that is done to him, as if it were one hundred times greater than it (really) is. This is the custom amongst the celestial. The ruler of earth, the son of Ushinara, certainly possesses greater goodness than you.
जयेत् कदर्यं दानेन सत्येनानृतवादिनम्। क्षमया क्रूरकर्माण-मसाधु साधुना जयेत्॥
One should conquer the mean by charity, the untruthful by truth, the wicked by forgiveness and the dishonest by honesty.
तदुभावेव भवन्तावुदारौ य इदानीं भवद्भ्यामन्यतमः सोऽपसर्पतु एतद् वै निदर्शनमित्युक्त्वा तूष्णीं नारदो बभूव। एतच्छ्रुत्वा तु कौरव्यः शिबिं प्रदक्षिणं कृत्वा दत्त्वा पन्थानं बहुकर्मभिः प्रशस्य प्रययौ॥
Both of you are generous-minded. Let one of you stand aside (giving the way to the other) according to the above words Having said this, Narada became silent. Having heard this, the descendant of Kuru, (king Suhotra), walking round Shivi and praising his many good deeds, gave him the way and went away.
तदेतद् राज्ञो महाभाग्यमप्युक्तवान् नारदः॥
It is thus that Narada has described the greatness of the royal order.