Shloka 45
Āstīka-stuti at Janamejaya’s Sacrifice (आस्तीकस्तुतिः / यज्ञप्रशंसा)
निः:श्वासमुष्णमसकृद् दीर्घ राजीवलोचन: । मुमोचाश्रूणि च तदा नेत्राभ्यां प्ररुदन् नृप:
niḥśvāsam uṣṇam asakṛd dīrgha rājīvalocanaḥ | mumocāśrūṇi ca tadā netrābhyāṁ prarudan nṛpaḥ ||
Again and again the lotus-eyed king let out long, hot sighs. Then, overcome with grief, he shed tears from both eyes and broke into loud weeping—his emotion openly spilling forth in the midst of the account he was hearing.
जनमेजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical humanity expected even of a ruler: true engagement with dharma and history is not merely intellectual but also empathetic. A king’s sensitivity to suffering is portrayed as a sign of moral seriousness rather than weakness.
As the story is being recounted, King Janamejaya becomes overwhelmed. He repeatedly exhales long, heated sighs and then openly weeps, tears streaming from his eyes—showing that what he hears has struck him deeply.