Shloka 106
मातङ्ग–शक्रसंवादः
Mataṅga–Śakra Dialogue on Tapas, Status, and Moral Qualities
भीष्मश्रिता: सुमधुरा: सर्वेन्द्रियमनोहरा: । पूजनके पश्चात् वे महर्षि सुखपूर्वक बैठकर भीष्मजीसे सम्बन्ध रखनेवाली मधुर एवं मनोहर कथाएँ कहने लगे। उनकी वे कथाएँ सम्पूर्ण इन्द्रियों और मनको मोह लेती थीं
vaiśampāyana uvāca | bhīṣmāśritāḥ sumadhurāḥ sarvendriya-manoharāḥ | pūjanake paścāt te maharṣayaḥ sukhapūrvakaṃ niṣaṇṇā bhīṣma-jī-sambandhaṃ madhurāṃ manoharāṃ kathāṃ kathayām āsuḥ | tāsāṃ kathānāṃ sarvendriyāṇi mano ca mohayanti | itihāsam imaṃ puṇyaṃ śṛṇuyād yaḥ paṭhet vā | gaṅgāyāḥ stava-saṃyuktaṃ sa mucyeta sarva-kilbiṣaiḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana sprach: Nachdem die Ehrenriten vollzogen waren, setzten sich die großen ṛṣis in Ruhe nieder und begannen süße, entzückende Erzählungen zu berichten, die mit Bhīṣma verbunden waren—Geschichten, die Sinne und Geist ganz und gar fesselten. Wer diese heilige Überlieferung, verbunden mit dem Lob der Gaṅgā, hört oder vorträgt, wird von allen Makeln der Sünde befreit.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
That reverent hearing or recitation of a sacred narrative (itihāsa), especially when joined with praise of Gaṅgā, is spiritually purifying and is said to remove moral and ritual impurities (kilbiṣa).
After being duly honored, the assembled sages sit comfortably and begin telling captivating accounts connected with Bhīṣma; the passage then adds a phalaśruti, promising purification to those who listen to or recite this holy history with Gaṅgā’s praise.