Shloka 16
युधिष्ठिरप्रश्नः—विश्वामित्रस्य ब्राह्मणत्वकौतूहलम् | Yudhiṣṭhira’s Inquiry on Viśvāmitra’s Attainment of Brāhmaṇya
तस्यैतानि च कर्माणि तथान्यानि च कौरव । क्षत्रियस्येत्यतो जातमिदं कौतूहलं मम
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca | tasyaitāni ca karmāṇi tathānyāni ca kaurava | kṣatriyasyety ato jātam idaṃ kautūhalaṃ mama | yo viśvāmitra uttānapādake putra dhruva tathā brahmarṣīṇāṃ (saptarṣīṇāṃ) ca madhye uttaradiśa ākāśam āśritya tārārūpeṇa sadā prakāśitā bhavanti, te kṣatriyā eva rājan | kurunandana! teṣāṃ etāni tathānyāni ca bahūny adbhutakarmāṇi smṛtvā mama hṛdaye jātam etat-jijñāsā-kautūhalaṃ—kathaṃ te brāhmaṇā abhavan?
Yudhiṣṭhira berkata: “Wahai Kaurava, mengingat perbuatan-perbuatannya ini dan banyak lagi—yang dilakukan ketika ia masih seorang kṣatriya—timbul keingintahuan besar dalam diriku. Viśvāmitra dan Dhruva, putra Uttānapāda, yang mengambil tempat di langit utara di tengah para Brahmarṣi (Tujuh Resi) dan bersinar abadi sebagai bintang—mereka pun sesungguhnya kṣatriya. Wahai kebanggaan Kuru, mengingat berbagai tindakan menakjubkan itu, hatiku ingin tahu: bagaimana mereka menjadi brāhmaṇa?”
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds a dharmic inquiry: spiritual status (brāhmaṇa-hood in the sense of brahmarṣi attainment) is linked to inner discipline and realized merit, not merely birth. Yudhiṣṭhira’s question sets up reflection on how tapas, conduct, and knowledge can elevate a person beyond their initial social identity.
Yudhiṣṭhira addresses a Kuru elder/relative and expresses wonder: figures like Viśvāmitra and Dhruva are remembered as kṣatriyas and yet are honored among the Brahmarṣis in the northern heavens as stars. He asks how such kṣatriyas came to be regarded as brāhmaṇas (i.e., attained brahmarṣi stature).