Shloka 34
उन्मुचु:प्रमुचुश्वैव स्वस्त्यात्रेयश्व वीर्यवान् । दृढ्व्यश्वोर्ध्वबाहुश्न तृणसोमाज्निरास्तथा
unmucuḥ pramucuś caiva svastyātreyaś ca vīryavān | dṛḍhavyāś cordhvabāhuś ca tṛṇasomāṅgirās tathā || mitrāvaruṇayoḥ putro mahāpratāpo 'gastyaḥ muniḥ—ete sapta dharmarājasya (yamasya) ṛtvijaḥ dakṣiṇāṃ diśaṃ nivasantīti |
Bhīṣma dit : Unmucu, Pramucu, le puissant Svastyātreya, Dṛḍhavyāśa, Ūrdhvabāhu, Tṛṇasomāṅgirā, et le grand sage Agastya, éclatant de splendeur—fils de Mitra et de Varuṇa—ces sept-là sont les ṛtvij, prêtres officiants de Dharmarāja (Yama), et ils demeurent dans le quartier du Sud.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores that Dharma (moral law and justice) is upheld through an ordered, sacred structure: even Yama, the enforcer of karmic consequence, is portrayed with a ritual establishment (ṛtvij-s). This frames justice as not arbitrary power but as a principled, sanctified administration aligned with cosmic order and direction.
Bhishma is listing the seven officiating priests associated with Dharmarāja (Yama) and stating their abode in the southern quarter. The mention of Agastya with his parentage (Mitra–Varuṇa) identifies him among these ritual functionaries, situating revered sages within Yama’s cosmic domain.