Shloka 1
Tīrtha-yātrā: Prayāga-saṅgama and Gayaśiras—Rājarṣi Gaya’s Mahāyajña
#:73:.8 #::3.7 () हि २ 7 त्रिनवतितमो<्थ्याय: ऋषियोंको नमस्कार करके पाण्डवोंका तीर्थयात्राके लिये विदा होना वैशम्पायन उवाच ततः प्रयान्तं कौन्तेयं ब्राह्मणा वनवासिन: । अभिगम्य तदा राजन्निदं वचनमन्रुवन्,वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--राजन! कुन्तीपुत्र युधिष्ठिरको तीर्थयात्राके लिये उद्यत जान काम्य-कवनके निवासी ब्राह्मण उनके निकट आकर इस प्रकार बोले--
vaiśampāyana uvāca | tataḥ prayāntaṃ kaunteyaṃ brāhmaṇā vanavāsinaḥ | abhigamya tadā rājan idaṃ vacanam abruvan |
Vaiśampāyana said: “Then, O King, as the son of Kuntī was setting out, the forest-dwelling brāhmaṇas approached him and spoke these words.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds dharmic reciprocity: a righteous king honors and supports brāhmaṇas and ascetics, while they, in turn, offer guidance that shapes ethical action—here, in the context of undertaking a pilgrimage.
As Yudhiṣṭhira (Kaunteya) prepares to depart—connected in this chapter with the Pandavas’ pilgrimage—the forest-dwelling brāhmaṇas come to him and begin addressing him with counsel or requests, setting up the dialogue that follows.