Shloka 23
Nṛga-upākhyāna: Brāhmaṇa-sva and the Consequence of Misappropriated Gift-Cattle (कृकलास-रूपे नृगोपाख्यानम्)
इमं तु देशं मुनय: पर्युपासन्ति नित्यदा । देवताओंने कहा--भगवन्! हमारा कार्य हो गया। अब हम पर्याप्त दक्षिणावाले यज्ञपुरुषका यजन करेंगे। यह जो हिमालयके पासका प्रदेश है, इसका ऋषि-मुनि सदासे ही आश्रय लेते हैं (अत: हमारा यज्ञ भी यहीं होगा) ।।
imaṁ tu deśaṁ munayaḥ paryupāsanti nityadā | devatā ūcuḥ—bhagavan! asmākaṁ kāryaṁ kṛtam | adhunā vayaṁ paryāpta-dakṣiṇāvantaṁ yajñapuruṣaṁ yajiṣyāmaḥ | eṣa yaḥ himālayasya pārśve pradeśaḥ, asya ṛṣi-munayaḥ sadāśrayaṁ kurvanti (ataḥ asmākaṁ yajño ’pi ihaiva bhaviṣyati) || tato ’gastyas ca kaṇvaś ca bhṛgur atrir vṛṣākapiḥ ||
Dijo Bhīṣma: «Esta región es frecuentada y venerada sin cesar por los sabios». Entonces los dioses dijeron: «Venerable, nuestra tarea ha sido cumplida. Ahora adoraremos al Señor del sacrificio (Yajñapuruṣa) con un rito provisto de dakṣiṇā suficiente. Esta comarca cercana al Himalaya ha sido desde antiguo refugio de videntes y ascetas; por ello, aquí mismo se realizará también nuestro sacrificio». Y entonces llegaron Agastya, Kaṇva, Bhṛgu, Atri y Vṛṣākapi.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights that sacred action (yajña) should be grounded in both proper place and proper ethics: a region sanctified by continual presence of sages is fit for worship, and the rite should be performed with adequate dakṣiṇā, emphasizing fairness and completeness in ritual duty.
Bhishma describes a Himalayan region revered by sages. The gods declare their prior objective fulfilled and decide to conduct a well-endowed sacrifice there; then eminent seers—Agastya, Kanva, Bhrigu, Atri, and Vrishakapi—arrive, indicating the gathering of spiritual authorities around the sacrificial act.