Shloka 39
Saptasārasvata-tīrtha-prasaṅgaḥ | The Saptasārasvata Pilgrimage Account and the Maṅkaṇaka Narrative
जनमेजय उवाच कस्मात् सरस्वती ब्रद्यान् निवृत्ता प्राडमुखी भवत् । व्याख्यातमेतदिच्छामि सर्वमध्वर्युसत्तम
janamejaya uvāca kasmāt sarasvatī bradyān nivṛttā prāḍmukhī bhavat | vyākhyātam etad icchāmi sarvam adhvaryusattama ||
Dijo Janamejaya: «¿Por qué razón el río Sarasvatī, aun corriendo con ímpetu, se volvió atrás y vino a mirar hacia el oriente? Oh el mejor de los sacerdotes oficiantes, deseo oír que se me explique por completo este asunto».
जनमेजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse models dharmic inquiry: a ruler seeks a complete, reasoned explanation from a qualified ritual authority, emphasizing that sacred phenomena and traditions should be understood through careful questioning and authoritative exposition.
King Janamejaya asks the chief priest-narrator to explain why the sacred river Sarasvatī, described as flowing swiftly, reversed course and became east-facing, requesting the full account behind this unusual event.