Shloka 6
Takṣaka’s agency, Parīkṣit’s rites, and Janamejaya’s enthronement (वैयासिक परम्परा-प्रसङ्गः)
शौनक उवाच उक्त नाम यथापूर्व सर्व तच्छुमतवानहम् । यथा तु जातो हयास्तीक एतदिच्छामि वेदितुम् । तच्छुत्वा वचन तस्य सौति: प्रोवाच शास्त्रतः,शौनकजी बोले--सूतपुत्र! आपने पहले जो जरत्कारु नामकी व्युत्पत्ति बतायी है, वह सब मैंने सुन ली। अब मैं यह जानना चाहता हूँ कि आस्तीक मुनिका जन्म किस प्रकार हुआ? शौनकजीका यह वचन सुनकर उग्रश्नवाजीने पुराणशास्त्रके अनुसार आस्तीकके जन्मका वृत्तान्त बताया
Śaunaka uvāca: ukta-nāma yathāpūrvaṁ sarva tac chumatavān aham | yathā tu jāto hy Āstīka etad icchāmi veditum | tac chrutvā vacanaṁ tasya Sautiḥ provāca śāstrataḥ ||
Śaunaka said: “I have heard in full, as you previously explained, the derivation and significance of the name Jaratkāru. Now I wish to know how the sage Āstīka was born.” Hearing Śaunaka’s words, Sauti began to relate—according to the authoritative tradition—the account of Āstīka’s birth.
शौनक उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights disciplined inquiry and faithful transmission: a listener who has understood one topic (the name’s derivation) asks the next relevant question (Āstīka’s birth), and the narrator responds ‘śāstrataḥ’—grounding the account in recognized tradition rather than speculation.
Śaunaka, leading the sages listening to the Mahābhārata recital, says he has already heard the explanation of the name Jaratkāru and now requests the story of how Āstīka was born. Sauti (Ugraśravas) then begins the authoritative narration of Āstīka’s birth account.