Mahabharata (Gita Press) 1.13.9 - Adi Parva, Adhyaya 13, Shloka 9
आस्तीक-उपाख्यान-प्रस्तावः | Introduction to the Āstīka Narrative
इदमास्तीकमाख्यान॑ तुभ्यं शौनक पृच्छते । कथयिष्याम्यशेषेण सर्वपापप्रणाशनम्,शौनकजी! यह आस्तीक मुनिका उपाख्यान सब पापोंका नाश करनेवाला है। आपके पूछनेपर मैं इसका पूरा-पूरा वर्णन कर रहा हूँ
idam āstīkam ākhyānaṃ tubhyaṃ śaunaka pṛcchate | kathayiṣyāmy aśeṣeṇa sarvapāpapraṇāśanam ||
“Inilah kisah tentang Āstīka yang engkau tanyakan kepadaku, wahai Śaunaka. Aku akan menuturkannya dengan lengkap—sebuah kisah yang melenyapkan segala dosa.”
शौनक उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse emphasizes the purifying power of sacred narration: hearing and recounting a dharmic account (ākhyāna) is presented as a means to remove moral taint (pāpa), underscoring the ethical value of attentive listening and truthful transmission.
Śaunaka inquires about the Āstīka episode, and the narrator responds that he will relate the entire story in full detail, highlighting it as a sin-destroying account—setting up the forthcoming Āstīka narrative within Ādi Parva.
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