Shloka 20
Vāraṇāvata-prasaṃsā and the Pāṇḍavas’ Departure (वरणावत-प्रशंसा तथा पाण्डव-प्रयाणम्)
ते5पश्यन् ब्राह्मणं श्याममापन्नं पलितं कृशम् । कृत्यवन्तमदूरस्थमग्निहोत्रपुरस्कृतम्,इसी समय उन्होंने एक श्याम वर्णके ब्राह्मणको थोड़ी ही दूरपर बैठे देखा, जो अग्निहोत्र करके किसी प्रयोजनसे वहाँ रुके हुए थे। वे आपत्तिग्रस्त जान पड़ते थे। उनके सिरके बाल सफेद हो गये थे और शरीर अत्यन्त दुर्बल था
te ’paśyan brāhmaṇaṁ śyāmam āpannaṁ palitaṁ kṛśam | kṛtyavantaṁ adūrastham agnihotra-puraskṛtam ||
Entonces advirtieron, no muy lejos, a un brāhmaṇa de tez oscura sentado allí—acababa de celebrar el agnihotra y permanecía por algún propósito. Parecía afligido: su cabello se había vuelto cano y su cuerpo estaba extremadamente consumido. La escena, en silencio, pone en primer plano el peso ético de encontrarse con un oficiante ritual que sufre, e invita a responder conforme al dharma y a la compasión.
वैशग्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a dharmic moment: encountering a person who has upheld ritual duty (agnihotra) yet is visibly afflicted. It implicitly calls for compassionate, righteous conduct toward the vulnerable—especially toward a brāhmaṇa engaged in sacred obligations—showing that dharma includes both ritual and humane response.
The narrating voice reports that the group sees, nearby, a dark-complexioned brāhmaṇa who has performed the agnihotra and remains there for some purpose. His grey hair and extreme thinness mark him as distressed, setting up an impending interaction or moral decision by the onlookers.