तदेतददभुतं ब्रह्मज्छा्डकाणामनामयम् | कीर्तयस्वाग्निसम्मर्दे कथं ते न विनाशिता:
tad etad adbhutaṁ brahma śāṇḍakānām anāmayam | kīrtayasva agni-sammarde kathaṁ te na vināśitāḥ ||
ຈະນະເມຊະຍະ ກ່າວວ່າ: «ໂອ ພຣາຫມະນ, ການທີ່ພວກຊານຑະກະ ຢູ່ລອດຢ່າງປອດໄພໃນເຫດໄຟໃຫຍ່ອັນນ່າຢ້ານນັ້ນ ແມ່ນເລື່ອງນ່າອັດສະຈັນຢ່າງແທ້. ຂໍຈົ່ງເລົ່າໃຫ້ຟັງວ່າ ໃນຄວາມປັ່ນປ່ວນອັນຮຸນແຮງຂອງໄຟໃຫຍ່ນັ້ນ ພວກເຂົາບໍ່ຖືກທຳລາຍໄດ້ແນວໃດ?»
जनमेजय उवाच
The verse highlights awe at unexpected preservation in calamity and frames an ethical inquiry: when destruction seems inevitable, one should seek the underlying causes—merit, protection, or rightful conduct—through careful narration and reflection.
King Janamejaya addresses a Brahman narrator and asks him to explain how the Śāṇḍakas managed to remain safe and unharmed during a terrifying conflagration, requesting a detailed account of their escape from destruction.