Srimad Bhagavatam — Chaturtha Skandha, Shloka 2
Dhruva-vaṁśa Continuation: Utkala’s Renunciation, Aṅga’s Sacrifice, and the Birth of Vena
Prelude to Pṛthu
विदुर उवाच के ते प्रचेतसो नाम कस्यापत्यानि सुव्रत । कस्यान्ववाये प्रख्याता: कुत्र वा सत्रमासत ॥ २ ॥
vidura uvāca ke te pracetaso nāma kasyāpatyāni suvrata kasyānvavāye prakhyātāḥ kutra vā satram āsata
Vidura fragte: O du von vortrefflichem Gelübde, wer waren die Pracetās? Wessen Söhne waren sie, in welcher Abstammungslinie wurden sie berühmt, und wo vollzogen sie das große satra-Opfer?
The great Nārada’s singing, in the previous chapter, of three verses in the sacrificial arena of the Pracetās gave another impetus to Vidura to ask further questions.
FAQs
In this verse, Vidura asks to identify the Pracetās—who they are, whose sons they are, and why they are renowned—introducing their role in the dynasty narration of Canto 4.
Vidura is hearing the dynastic history and seeks clarity about a notable group—how they are connected by lineage and where they performed their sacrificial session—so the listener can understand their importance in the unfolding narrative.
It teaches the value of sincere questioning: asking clear, lineage-and-context-based questions helps a student grasp scripture systematically rather than superficially.