Shloka 6
तपस्विनस्ततो<पृच्छत् प्राउजलि: कुरुनन्दन: । तीर्थानीमानि वर्ज्यन्ते किमर्थ ब्रह्मवादिभि:,तब कुरुनन्दन धनंजयने दोनों हाथ जोड़कर तपस्वी मुनियोंसे पूछा--“वेदवक्ता ऋषिगण इन तीर्थोंका परित्याग किसलिये कर रहे हैं?”
tapasvinas tato 'pṛcchat prāñjaliḥ kurunandanaḥ | tīrthānīmāni varjyante kimarthaṃ brahmavādibhiḥ ||
Then the Kuru prince, Dhanañjaya, with palms joined in reverence, questioned the ascetic sages: “For what reason are the seers—those who speak of Brahman and the Veda—abandoning these sacred fords?” The moment frames a moral inquiry: when even the spiritually authoritative withdraw from holy places, it signals a disturbance in dharma that demands understanding rather than mere judgment.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights dharmic discernment through humble inquiry: when revered sages avoid even holy places, one should seek the underlying cause—suggesting that sanctity is not merely geographic but depends on the prevailing moral-spiritual conditions and the conduct of beings present.
Vaiśampāyana narrates that Dhanañjaya (Arjuna), respectfully joining his hands, asks the ascetic sages why the brahmavādins are leaving or avoiding the tīrthas. The scene sets up an explanation about disturbed conditions affecting sacred sites.