Shloka 17
Avanti–Narmadā–Puṣkara Tīrtha-Kathana (धौम्यकथितं तीर्थवर्णनम्)
कान्यकुब्जेडपिबत् सोममिन्द्रेण सह कौशिक: । ततः क्षत्रादपाक्रामद् ब्राह्मणो5स्मीति चाब्रवीत्,विश्वामित्रजीने कान्यकुब्जदेशमें इन्द्रके साथ सोमपान किया; वहीं वे क्षत्रियत्वसे ऊपर उठ गये और “मैं ब्राह्मण हूँ” यह बात घोषित कर दी
kānyakubje ’pibat somam indreṇa saha kauśikaḥ | tataḥ kṣatrād apākrāmad brāhmaṇo ’smīti cābravīt ||
Vaiśampāyana said: “In Kānyakubja, Kauśika drank the Soma together with Indra. Thereupon he rose beyond the status of a kṣatriya and openly declared, ‘I am a brāhmaṇa.’”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores that spiritual stature can be asserted on the basis of realized power and discipline (tapas and ritual merit), not merely inherited social identity; it also raises the ethical tension between birth-based varṇa and attainment-based authority.
Viśvāmitra (called Kauśika) is described as drinking Soma in Kānyakubja together with Indra, after which he is said to have moved beyond kṣatriya status and publicly proclaimed himself a brāhmaṇa—marking a pivotal moment in his legendary quest for brahmarṣi-hood.