Shloka 16
Plakṣaprasravaṇa–Kārapacana tīrtha-varṇana and Nārada’s war briefing (Śalya-parva, Adhyāya 53)
एवमेतद् यदुश्रेष्ठ कृष्टं राजर्षिणा पुरा । शक्रेण चाभ्यनुज्ञातं ब्रह्माद्यैश्व सुरैस्तथा
evam etad yaduśreṣṭha kṛṣṭaṃ rājarṣiṇā purā | śakreṇa cābhyanujñātaṃ brahmādyaiś ca surais tathā ||
Wahai yang terbaik di antara bangsa Yadu, demikianlah adanya. Pada zaman dahulu, resi-raja Kuru membajak tanah ini dan menjadikannya lahan budidaya; dan Śakra (Indra) pun mengesahkannya, demikian pula Brahmā dan para dewa lainnya, dengan anugerah dan restu.
राम उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse links sanctity to righteous action: Kuru’s disciplined, constructive labor (cultivating the land) becomes spiritually authoritative when aligned with dharma and affirmed by higher moral/divine order (Indra, Brahmā, and the gods).
Rāma addresses a Yadu hero and explains the ancient origin of the region’s holiness: the royal sage Kuru once cultivated it, and the chief gods granted approval and blessing, establishing the place as divinely endorsed.