Shloka 37
अत्रे: पुत्रश्न धर्मात्मा ऋषि: सारस्वतस्तथा । वरुणस्यर्त्विज: सप्त पश्षचिमां दिशमाश्रिता:
atreḥ putraś ca dharmātmā ṛṣiḥ sārasvatas tathā | varuṇasyartvijaḥ sapta paścimāṁ diśam āśritāḥ || dṛḍheyuḥ ṛteyuḥ kīrtimān parivyādhaḥ sūryakā-sadṛśa-tejasvī ekataḥ dvitā tritā tathā dharmātmā atreḥ putraḥ sārasvata-muniḥ ||
Bhīṣma sprach: Unter ihnen sind Atris Sohn, ein rechtschaffener Weiser, und der Weise Sārasvata. Diese sieben sind die ṛtvij, die Opferpriester Varuṇas, die im Westen wohnen—Dṛḍheyu, Ṛteyu, Kīrtimān, Parivyādha, der Strahlende, dessen Glanz der Sonne gleicht, und die drei namens Ekata, Dvita und Trita. So sind die sieben ṛtvij Varuṇas, die im Westen weilen, aufgezählt.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights dharma expressed through proper ritual order and righteous sages: Varuṇa’s priests are identified and situated, underscoring that cosmic order (ṛta/dharma) is maintained by disciplined, duly appointed officiants and venerable seers.
Bhīṣma is listing and locating a set of seven sages/priests connected with Varuṇa, naming them and stating that their residence is in the western quarter, as part of a broader instructional enumeration in the Anuśāsana Parva.