Shloka 10
ययाति–अष्टक–प्रतर्दन संवादः | Yayāti’s Dialogue with Aṣṭaka and Pratardana on Merit, Gifts, and Ethical Restraint
वैशम्पायन उवाच हन्त ते कथयिष्यामि ययातेरुत्तमां कथाम् | दिवि चेह च पुण्यार्था सर्वपापप्रणाशिनीम्,वैशम्पायनजी बोले--जनमेजय! ययातिकी उत्तम कथा इहलोक और स्वर्गलोकमें भी पुण्यदायक है। वह सब पापोंका नाश करनेवाली है, मैं तुमसे उसका वर्णन करता हूँ
vaiśampāyana uvāca: hanta te kathayiṣyāmi yayāter uttamāṃ kathām | divi ceha ca puṇyārthā sarvapāpapraṇāśinīm ||
Vaiśampāyana said: “Come then—I shall recount to you the excellent story of Yayāti. It is meritorious both in this world and in heaven, and it destroys all sins. I will describe it to you.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames sacred narrative as ethically transformative: hearing (and recounting) a dharmic story is said to generate merit in both worldly and heavenly spheres and to function as a purifier that removes sin.
In the Janamejaya–Vaiśampāyana dialogue, Vaiśampāyana announces that he will now narrate the celebrated account of King Yayāti, introducing it as a highly meritorious and sin-destroying episode.