Shloka 5
मარკण्डेयागमनम् तथा सत्यव्रत-उपदेशः
Arrival of Mārkaṇḍeya and Counsel on Truth-Vows
अथाब्रवीद् बको दाल्शभ्यो धर्मराजं युधिष्ठिरम् । संध्यां कौन्तेयमासीनमृषिभि: परिवारितम्,एक दिन कुन्तीकुमार धर्मराज युधिष्ठिर ऋषियोंसे घिरे हुए संध्योपासना कर रहे थे। उस समय दल्भके पुत्र बक नामक महर्षिने उनसे कहा--
athābravīd bako dālbhyo dharmarājaṃ yudhiṣṭhiram | sandhyāṃ kaunteyam āsīnam ṛṣibhiḥ parivāritam ||
Kemudian Baka, putera Dālbhya, berbicara kepada Dharma-rāja Yudhiṣṭhira. Putera Kuntī itu sedang duduk menunaikan sembahyang senja, dikelilingi para resi—ketika sang pertapa bersabda kepadanya, membuka jalan bagi nasihat yang berlandaskan dharma dan tata laku yang berdisiplin.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds dharmic discipline: even amid hardship, Yudhiṣṭhira is shown performing sandhyā worship and keeping company with sages, implying that righteous conduct and reverence for sacred duties create the proper setting for ethical instruction.
Vaiśampāyana narrates that while Yudhiṣṭhira sits performing twilight rites, surrounded by ṛṣis, the sage Baka (son of Dālbhya) approaches and begins to speak—introducing a forthcoming dialogue or counsel.