Shloka 6
वैशम्पायन उवाच ततः प्रहायामरराजजुष्टान् पुण्याँलल्लोकान् पतमानं ययातिम् | सम्प्रेक्ष्य राजर्षिवरो5ष्टकस्त- मुवाच सद्धर्मविधानगोप्ता,वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--जनमेजय! तदनन्तर देवराज इन्द्रके सेवन करनेयोग्य पुण्यलोकोंका परित्याग करके राजा ययाति नीचे गिरने लगे। उस समय राजर्षियोंमें श्रेष्ठ अष्टकने उन्हें गिरते देखा। वे उत्तम धर्म-विधिके पालक थे। उन्होंने ययातिसे कहा
vaiśampāyana uvāca | tataḥ prahāyāmararāja-juṣṭān puṇyān lokān patamānaṃ yayātim | samprekṣya rājarṣi-varo ’ṣṭakas tam uvāca sad-dharma-vidhāna-goptā ||
Vaiśampāyana said: Then, having abandoned those meritorious worlds frequented by Indra, King Yayāti began to fall downward. Seeing him thus falling, the श्रेष्ठ among royal seers—Aṣṭaka, a guardian of the right ordinances of dharma—addressed Yayāti.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even exalted heavenly attainments based on merit (puṇya) are not permanent; when merit is exhausted, one falls. The verse frames Aṣṭaka as a guardian of dharma, implying that ethical order and right conduct—not mere celestial enjoyment—are central to lasting spiritual understanding.
Yayāti, after enjoying Indra-associated meritorious worlds, begins to fall from those realms. Aṣṭaka, renowned among royal sages and described as a protector of dharma’s ordinances, sees Yayāti’s descent and prepares to address him.