Shloka 1
Paurava-vaṃśa-kathana (Account of the Paurava Lineage) | महाभारत आदि पर्व अध्याय ८९
(दाक्षिणात्य अधिक पाठके ४ ३ श्लोक मिलाकर कुल १७३ “लोक हैं) नशा (0) अत न अष्टाशीतितमो< ध्याय: ययातिका स्वर्गसे पतन और अष्टकका उनसे प्रश्न करना इन्द्र रवाच सर्वाणि कर्माणि समाप्य राजन् गृहं परित्यज्य वनं गतो$सि । तत् त्वां पृच्छामि नहुषस्य पुत्र केनासि तुल्यस्तपसा ययाते,इन्द्रने कहा--राजन्! तुम सम्पूर्ण कर्मोंको समाप्त करके घर छोड़कर वनमें चले गये थे। अतः नहुषपुत्र ययाते! मैं तुमसे पूछता हूँ कि तुम तपस्यामें किसके समान हो
śakra uvāca | sarvāṇi karmāṇi samāpya rājan gṛhaṃ parityajya vanaṃ gato 'si | tat tvāṃ pṛcchāmi nahuṣasya putra kenāsi tulyas tapasā yayāte ||
Śakra (Indra) said: “O king, having brought all your duties and undertakings to completion, you abandoned your household and went to the forest. Therefore I ask you, O son of Nahuṣa, O Yayāti: to whom are you equal in austerity?”
शक्र उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds the ethical ideal that a king’s life is not only governance and ritual action but also the capacity to conclude worldly duties and turn toward disciplined renunciation (tapas), inviting reflection on what truly constitutes spiritual excellence.
Indra addresses King Yayāti, noting that he has completed his works and left home for the forest. Indra then questions him directly about the measure of his austerity—asking whom he equals in tapas—setting up a dialogue about Yayāti’s spiritual standing.