Shloka 6
युधिष्ठिरप्रश्नः—विश्वामित्रस्य ब्राह्मणत्वकौतूहलम् | Yudhiṣṭhira’s Inquiry on Viśvāmitra’s Attainment of Brāhmaṇya
इतना ही नहीं, इस मनुष्य-लोकमें उन्होंने उस महान् कुशिक-वंशको स्थापित किया जो अब सैकड़ों ब्रह्मर्षियोंसे व्याप्त और दिद्वान ब्राह्मणोंसे प्रशंसित है ।।
ṛcīkasyātmajaś caiva śunaḥśepo mahātapāḥ | vimokṣito mahāsatrāt paśutām apy upāgataḥ ||
ಋಚೀಕನ ಮಹಾತಪಸ್ವಿ ಪುತ್ರ ಶುನಃಶೇಪನು—ಮಹಾಸತ್ರದಲ್ಲಿ ಯಜ್ಞಪಶುವಾಗಿ ಕೂಡ ತರಲ್ಪಟ್ಟಿದ್ದರೂ—ಆ ಮಹಾಯಾಗದಿಂದ ವಿಮೋಚಿಸಲ್ಪಟ್ಟನು.
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Ritual action is not supreme when it violates higher dharma: compassion, protection of life, and restoring a person’s dignity outweigh the mere completion of a sacrifice.
Yudhiṣṭhira recalls Śunaḥśepa, son of Ṛcīka, who was brought to a great sacrificial session as a victim; despite being treated as a sacrificial animal, he was freed from the rite—an example of righteous intervention overriding harmful ritual necessity.