Shloka 46
Āstīka-stuti at Janamejaya’s Sacrifice (आस्तीकस्तुतिः / यज्ञप्रशंसा)
उवाच च महीपालो दुःखशोकसमन्वित: । दुर्धरं वाष्पमुत्सृज्य स्पृष्टवा चापो यथाविधि
uvāca ca mahīpālo duḥkhaśokasamanvitaḥ | durdharaṃ vāṣpam utsṛjya spṛṣṭvā cāpo yathāvidhi rājānaṃś ca mantribhiḥ saha tathābravīt ||
Then the king, overwhelmed by grief and sorrow, let fall an unrestrainable stream of tears. Having ritually touched water in the prescribed manner, he addressed the assembled ministers and spoke accordingly—after inwardly fixing his resolve through steady reflection.
जनमेजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even in intense grief, a ruler is expected to act within dharma: he steadies his mind, performs the proper rite (touching water as prescribed), and then speaks to his ministers—showing that emotion should be disciplined by ethical and ritual order before public decision.
A king, overcome with sorrow, weeps uncontrollably. After composing himself enough to perform a formal purification/ritual gesture by touching water, he turns to his ministers and begins to state his decision or intention.