Shloka 5
आदि पर्व — खाण्डवदाह प्रसङ्गः: पावकस्य याचनं तथा इन्द्रवर्षनिवारणोपायः
Adi Parva — Khāṇḍava episode: Agni’s request and the means to resist Indra’s rain
विविक्तान्युपलक्ष्याथ तानि तीर्थानि पाण्डव: । दृष्टवा च वर्ज्यमानानि मुनिभिर्धर्मबुद्धिभि:,पाए्डुपुत्र अर्जुनने देखा, ये सभी तीर्थ बड़े एकान्तमें हैं, तो भी एकमात्र धर्ममें बुद्धिको लगाये रखनेवाले मुनि भी उन तीर्थोको दूरसे ही छोड़ दे रहे हैं
viviktāny upalakṣyātha tāni tīrthāni pāṇḍavaḥ | dṛṣṭvā ca varjyamānāni munibhir dharmabuddhibhiḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana said: Then the Pāṇḍava, noticing that those sacred fords were secluded, and seeing that even sages of dharma-guided understanding were keeping away from them, took this as a significant sign—suggesting that certain places, though holy in name, may be ethically unfit to approach under particular conditions.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights dharmic discernment: holiness is not merely a label attached to a place; the wise may avoid even a tīrtha when circumstances make it ethically or ritually unsuitable. Dharma involves judgment guided by the conduct of the truly dharma-minded.
Vaiśampāyana narrates that a Pāṇḍava notices certain pilgrimage sites are secluded, yet sees that sages devoted to dharma are deliberately avoiding them. This observation signals that something about these places or the present situation warrants caution.