Shloka 31
Suvarṇa-dāna: Kārttikeya’s Origin and the Defeat of Tāraka (सुवर्णदान-प्रसङ्गे कार्त्तिकेय-उत्पत्ति तथा तारकवधः)
तत्र गत्वा मया सार्ध पर्युपासन्त तां शुभाम् । अथाहमनब्रुवं तत्र देवीं तां तपसान्विताम्,“वे सब लोग मेरे साथ ही उस शुभलक्षणा तपस्विनी सुरभी देवीके पास जाकर खड़े हुए। तब मैंने वहाँ उससे कहा--
tatra gatvā mayā sārdhaṃ paryupāsanta tāṃ śubhām | athāham anabravaṃ tatra devīṃ tāṃ tapasānvitām |
Mereka semua pergi ke sana bersamaku, berdiri di dekat sang mulia—Dewi Surabhī yang bertapa—seraya menghormat dan melayaninya. Lalu, di tempat itu, aku berkata kepada sang dewi yang dipenuhi tapa itu—
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds dharmic conduct through reverent approach: one should seek instruction from spiritually accomplished beings (tapasānvitā) with humility and proper attendance (paryupāsanā), indicating that ethical learning begins with respectful disposition.
Bhīṣma narrates that the group accompanies him to the auspicious goddess Surabhī, stands by her in reverence, and then Bhīṣma begins to address her—setting up a forthcoming exchange or instruction.