कण्व उवाच । कस्मिन्स्थाने तु विप्रेन्द्र विद्यते मृगलोचना । कस्य सा केन कार्येण सर्वमेतद्वदाशु मे
kaṇva uvāca | kasminsthāne tu viprendra vidyate mṛgalocanā | kasya sā kena kāryeṇa sarvametadvadāśu me
Kaṇva dit : «Ô le meilleur des brāhmanes, en quel lieu se trouve cette jeune fille aux yeux de biche ? À qui appartient-elle, et pour quel dessein est-elle ici ? Dis-moi tout cela sans tarder».
Kaṇva (the king)
Listener: Brāhmaṇa messenger/observer
Scene: King Kaṇva, alert and authoritative, questions the brāhmaṇa: where is the maiden, whose is she, and why is she there—demanding immediate clarity.
A dhārmic seeker should inquire respectfully from the learned to understand persons, places, and the hidden workings of tīrtha and karma.
The verse sets up the Revā-khaṇḍa setting; the exact spot is clarified in the following verses as a location near the saṅgama and a sacred precinct with special protective power.
None here; it is a question initiating the account.