विशांपतिरथोवाच तन्मुखच्छाययेरितम् । विज्ञाय तदभिप्रायमलंभीत्या पुरौकसः
viśāṃpatirathovāca tanmukhacchāyayeritam | vijñāya tadabhiprāyamalaṃbhītyā puraukasaḥ
Lalu sang raja, pelindung rakyat, berbicara—tergerak oleh bayang makna pada wajah mereka. Memahami maksud itu, para warga kota pun mendengarkan dengan tenang, tanpa rasa takut.
Skanda (narrating); direct speech introduced: the King (viśāṃpati)
Tirtha: Kāśī
Type: kshetra
Scene: The king, perceiving the townsmen’s intent from their faces, begins to speak; the townsmen stand composed, fear gone, listening intently.
A dharmic ruler perceives the needs of people and speaks accordingly, creating a climate where citizens are free from fear.
Kāśī is the narrative setting; the verse prepares a royal dialogue rather than praising a specific tīrtha.
None.