Adhyāya 283: Varṇa-vṛtti, Nyāya-ārjana, and the Decline-and-Restoration of Dharma (वर्णवृत्तिः न्यायार्जनं च)
वैशम्पायन उवाच पुरा हिमवतः पृष्े दक्षो वै यज्ञमाहरत् । गड़ाद्वारे शुभे देशे ऋषिसिद्धनिषेविते
vaiśampāyana uvāca | purā himavataḥ pṛṣṭhe dakṣo vai yajñam āharat | gaṅgādvāre śubhe deśe ṛṣi-siddha-niṣevite ||
ವೈಶಂಪಾಯನನು ಹೇಳಿದನು—ಪುರಾತನ ಕಾಲದಲ್ಲಿ ಹಿಮವಂತನ ಪರ್ವತಶ್ರೇಣಿಗಳ ಬಳಿಯಲ್ಲಿ, ಋಷಿ-ಸಿದ್ಧರು ಸಂಚರಿಸುವ ಗಂಗಾದ್ವಾರವೆಂಬ ಶುಭ ಪ್ರದೇಶದಲ್ಲಿ ಪ್ರಜಾಪತಿ ದಕ್ಷನು ಯಜ್ಞವನ್ನು ಕೈಗೊಂಡನು.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
The verse frames yajña (ritual duty) within a sanctified setting, implying that actions—especially public, religious acts—carry ethical weight and consequences; sacred context heightens responsibility rather than replacing moral discernment.
Vaiśampāyana begins an episode by locating it in ancient time and sacred space: Dakṣa organizes a great sacrifice at Gaṅgādvāra near the Himālaya, a place associated with sages and siddhas, preparing the ground for the events connected with Dakṣa’s yajña.