Svargārohaṇa-parva Adhyāya 2 — Yudhiṣṭhira’s Inquiry for His Kin and the Vision of a Punitive Realm
क्व च ते भ्रातरो महां तन्ममाख्यातुमर्हसि । देशो<यं कश्न देवानामेतदिच्छामि वेदितुम्
kva ca te bhrātaro mahān tan mamākhyātum arhasi | deśo 'yaṁ kaś ca devānām etad icchāmi veditum |
Vaiśampāyana sprach: „Und wo sind deine Brüder? Das musst du mir sagen. Wie weit müssen wir diesen Weg noch gehen? Und welches Gebiet der Götter ist dies? Ich wünsche es zu wissen.“
वैशम्पायन उवाच
The verse highlights the ethical impulse to seek clarity and truth in moments of distress: the speaker insists on being told plainly where the companions are and what realm is being traversed, emphasizing accountability and truthful guidance on a morally charged journey.
During the ascent-journey narrative, after encountering an unpleasant, foul-smelling stretch of the path, the traveler questions the divine guide about how much farther they must go, where the brothers are, and what divine region this is.