Shloka 18
तेषां विवाद: सुमहान् शक्रयज्ञे तपस्विनाम्
teṣāṃ vivādaḥ sumahān śakrayajñe tapasvinām
قال فايشامبايانا: وبين أولئك الزهّاد قامت خصومة عظيمة في ذبيحة شَكرا (إندرا)—مشهدٌ يدلّ على أنّ حتى العلماء المتحلّين بضبط النفس قد يُستدرجون إلى الجدل حين تُثار مسائلُ سَبْقِ الطقس، والفضل، وحُسن السلوك.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights an ethical caution: spiritual attainment and ritual expertise do not automatically prevent conflict. Dharma requires humility and restraint, especially in contexts—like sacrifice and public religious acts—where status, precedence, and claims of merit can provoke rivalry.
The narrator reports that a major dispute breaks out among a group of ascetics during an Indra-related sacrificial occasion. This sets the stage for the ensuing account explaining the cause of their contention and its implications for right conduct.