Shloka 8
गान्धारीपुत्रोत्पत्तिः — The Birth of Gāndhārī’s Hundred Sons (and Yuyutsu); Omens and Counsel on Succession
कतमेन पथा याता दस्यवो द्विजसत्तम | तेन गच्छामहे ब्रह्मन् यथा शीघ्रतरं वयम्
katamena pathā yātā dasyavo dvijasattama | tena gacchāmahe brahman yathā śīghrataraṃ vayam janamejaya ||
“Wahai yang terbaik di antara kaum dwija, melalui jalan mana para bandit itu pergi? Wahai Brāhmaṇa, kami akan menempuh jalan itu juga agar kami dapat bergerak secepat mungkin.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds a dharmic dilemma: society’s need for protection and justice presses upon an ascetic, raising questions about how truthfulness, compassion, and the duty to prevent harm should be balanced when asked to aid a pursuit.
Pursuers chasing thieves reach a hermitage and ask a Brāhmaṇa/ṛṣi which route the bandits took, so they can follow quickly; Vaiśampāyana narrates this to King Janamejaya.