Shloka 36
Adhyāya 33: Antarvedī-Samāgama, Arghya-Nirṇaya, and Śiśupāla’s Objection
एतेषां पुत्रवर्गाश्न॒ शिष्पाश्न भरतर्षभ | बशभूवुहोत्रगा: सर्वे वेदवेदाड़पारगा:,भरतश्रेष्ठ! इनके पुत्र और शिष्यवर्गके लोग, जो सब-के-सब वेद-वेदांगोंके पारंगत विद्वान थे, 'होत्रग” (सप्तहोता) हुए
vaiśampāyana uvāca |
eteṣāṃ putravargāś ca śiṣyāś ca bharatarṣabha |
babhūvur hotragāḥ sarve vedavedāṅgapāragāḥ ||
Dijo Vaiśampāyana: «Oh toro entre los Bhāratas, los hijos y el círculo de discípulos de aquellos hombres—todos consumados en los Vedas y los Vedāṅgas—acudieron a servir como sacerdotes hotṛ (los siete oficiantes) en el rito sacrificial».
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the dharmic ideal that ritual authority rests on disciplined learning and proper transmission: sons and disciples trained in Veda and Vedāṅgas are fit to undertake priestly functions, showing continuity of sacred knowledge through lineage and education.
Vaiśampāyana describes how the descendants and students of the previously mentioned learned men took up the roles of Hotṛ-priests (often conceived as a set of seven officiants) for a sacrifice, emphasizing their mastery of Vedic and auxiliary sciences.