Shloka 20
Devaśarmā–Vipula Dialogue on Ahorātra–Ṛtu as Moral Witnesses (अनुशासन पर्व, अध्याय ४३)
स कदाचिदृषिस्तात यज्ञं कर्तुमनास्तदा
sa kadācid ṛṣis tāta yajñaṃ kartum anās tadā
Bhīṣma berkata: “Wahai anak yang dikasihi, pada suatu ketika resi itu menumpukan fikirannya untuk melaksanakan suatu upacara korban suci (yajña).”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds the ethical-religious ideal that a sage deliberately undertakes yajña (sacrificial duty) with conscious intention, presenting ritual action as a purposeful, dharma-aligned commitment rather than a casual act.
Bhīṣma continues a story and introduces a turning point: an unnamed sage, addressed affectionately as “tāta,” decides at a particular time to perform a yajña, setting the stage for the events and moral implications that follow.