Shloka 14
अनुक्रमणिकाध्यायः (Anukramaṇikā Adhyāya) — Invocation, Narrator Frame, and Textual Scope
दिदृक्षुरागतस्तस्मात् समीपं भवतामिह । आयुष्मन्त: सर्व एव ब्रह्मभूता हि मे मता: । अस्मिन् यज्ञे महाभागा: सूर्यपावकवर्चस:,वहींसे आपलोगोंके दर्शनकी इच्छा लेकर मैं यहाँ आपके पास आया हूँ। मेरी यह मान्यता है कि आप सभी दीर्घायु एवं ब्रह्मस्वरूप हैं। ब्राह्मणो! इस यज्ञमें सम्मिलित आप सभी महात्मा बड़े भाग्यशाली तथा सूर्य और अग्निके समान तेजस्वी हैं
didṛkṣur āgatas tasmāt samīpaṁ bhavatām iha | āyuṣmantaḥ sarva eva brahmabhūtā hi me matāḥ | asmin yajñe mahābhāgāḥ sūryapāvakavarcasāḥ |
Therefore I have come here, wishing to behold you and to draw near to you all. For in my understanding, every one of you is long-lived and truly established in Brahman. O brāhmaṇas, participating in this sacrifice, you great-souled and fortunate ones shine with the splendor of the sun and of fire—worthy of reverence and honor in this sacred rite.
Educational Q&A
The verse models dharmic conduct toward spiritual elders: approaching them with humility, recognizing their longevity and spiritual stature, and honoring their presence in a sacred rite. Ethical emphasis falls on reverence, respectful speech, and valuing those who uphold Vedic learning and sacrificial order.
A speaker addresses the assembled brāhmaṇas at a yajña, explaining that he has come specifically to see them and be near them. He praises them as long-lived, Brahman-established, and radiant like the sun and fire—setting a respectful tone for the ensuing discourse in the opening of the epic.