Shloka 19
अश्वमेधावसानम् — Dakṣiṇā-vibhāga and Avabhṛtha
Completion of the Aśvamedha
ते तु खिन्ना विवादेन ऋषयस्तत्त्वदर्शिन:
te tu khinnā vivādena ṛṣayas tattvadarśinaḥ | bharatanandana! te tattvadarśī ṛṣayaḥ yadā asmin vivāde bahu khinnā abhavan, tadā indreṇa saha mantrayitvā etasmin viṣaye rājānam uparicaraṃ vasuṃ papracchuḥ— “mahāmati! vayaṃ dharmaviṣaye saṃśaye patitāḥ smaḥ; bhavān asmān satyaṃ vaktuṃ arhati.”
वैशंपायन म्हणाले—भरतनंदना! ते तत्त्वदर्शी ऋषि त्या वादाने अत्यंत खिन्न झाले. मग इंद्राशी सल्लामसलत करून त्यांनी राजा उपरिचर वसूस विचारले—“महामते! आम्ही धर्मविषयी संशयात पडलो आहोत; आम्हाला सत्य सांगा.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
When even learned sages become entangled in disagreement about dharma, they seek clarification through counsel and by approaching a trusted authority. The verse highlights humility in ethical inquiry and the importance of truthful guidance.
A group of truth-seeing sages, exhausted by a dispute, consult Indra and then question King Uparicara Vasu to resolve their uncertainty about what dharma requires in the matter under debate.