Shloka 6
स निर्ययौ गजपुराद् याजकैः परिवारित: । दृष्टवा निवृत्तमादित्यं प्रवृत्तं चोत्तरायणम्
sa niryayau gajapurād yājakaiḥ parivāritaḥ | dṛṣṭvā nivṛttam ādityaṃ pravṛttaṃ cottarāyaṇam ||
Vaiśampāyana sprach: Von den Opferpriestern umgeben, brach er aus der Stadt der Kurus (Hastināpura) auf. Als er sah, dass die Sonne vom südlichen Lauf zurückgekehrt war und in den nördlichen Lauf (Uttarāyaṇa) eingetreten war, zog er hinaus—sein Handeln im Einklang mit der glückverheißenden kosmischen Ordnung und der rituellen Angemessenheit.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights acting in alignment with dharma through attention to auspicious timing and ritual order: major undertakings are ideally begun when cosmic signs (like the Sun’s northward course) indicate a favorable, orderly season, and with proper priestly guidance.
A principal figure departs from Hastināpura (called Gajapura), accompanied by priests. He does so after observing that the Sun has shifted from the southern course (Dakṣiṇāyana) to the northern course (Uttarāyaṇa), marking an auspicious transition for commencing a significant action.