Shloka 25
Arjuna’s Account of Tapas and the Kirāta Test; Revelation of Maheśvara and the Grant of the Pāśupata-Astra
पितृन् देवानृषीन् विप्रान् पूजयित्वा महातपा: । सप्त मुख्यान् महामेधानाहरद् यमुनां प्रति,महातपस्वी शान्तनुने देवताओं, पितरों, ऋषियों तथा ब्राह्मणोंकी पूजा करके यमुना- तटपर सात बड़े-बड़े अश्वमेधयज्ञोंका अनुष्ठान किया था। राजन! वे तुम्हारे प्रपितामह राजाधिराज शान्तनु स्वर्गलोकको जीतकर उसीमें निवास करते हैं। उन्होंने मुझसे तुम्हारी कुशल पूछी थी
pitṝn devān ṛṣīn viprān pūjayitvā mahātapāḥ | sapta mukhyān mahāmedhān āharad yamunāṃ prati ||
Dhanada said: “That great ascetic, after honoring the Pitṛs, the gods, the Ṛṣis, and the Brahmins, performed seven foremost and mighty Aśvamedha sacrifices on the banks of the Yamunā. O king, that emperor Śāntanu—your great-great-grandfather—having won the heavenly world, dwells there. He asked me about your welfare.”
धनद उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights dharmic kingship and religious duty: honoring ancestors, gods, sages, and Brahmins, and performing great sacrifices are portrayed as sources of spiritual merit that lead to heavenly attainment and enduring renown.
Dhanada informs the king that his ancestor Śāntanu performed seven great Aśvamedha sacrifices on the Yamunā’s bank after duly honoring revered beings, and that Śāntanu now resides in heaven and has inquired about the king’s welfare.