Ruru–Pramadvarā: Lineage, Fosterage, Betrothal, and the Snakebite Crisis (Ādi Parva, Adhyāya 8)
प्रमति: सह पुत्रेण तथान्ये वनवासिन: । तदनन्तर स्वस्त्यात्रेय, महाजानु, कुशिक, शंखमेखल, उद्दालक, कठ, महायशस्वी श्वेत, भरद्वाज, कौणकुत्स्य, आर्टिषिण, गौतम, अपने पुत्र रुकुसहित प्रमति तथा अन्य सभी वनवासी श्रेष्ठ द्विज दयासे द्रवित होकर वहाँ आये
pramatiḥ saha putreṇa tathānye vanavāsinaḥ | tadanantaraṃ svastyātreyaḥ mahājānuḥ kuśikaḥ śaṅkhamekhalaḥ uddālakaḥ kaṭhaḥ mahāyaśasvī śvetaḥ bharadvājaḥ kauṇakutsyaḥ ārtiṣiṇiḥ gautamaḥ | apane putra rukusahitaḥ pramatiḥ tathā anye sarve vanavāsinaḥ śreṣṭhā dvijā dayāse dravitāḥ tatra āyuḥ ||
Śaunaka disse: “Pramati veio até ali junto com seu filho, e também outros ascetas que habitavam a floresta. Depois deles chegaram Svastyātreya, Mahājānu, Kuśika, Śaṅkhamekhala, Uddālaka, Kaṭha, o ilustre Śveta, Bharadvāja, Kauṇakutsya, Ārtiṣiṇi e Gautama. Movido pela compaixão, Pramati—acompanhado de seu filho Ruku—e todos aqueles eminentes sábios duas-vezes-nascidos que viviam na mata vieram àquele lugar.”
शौनक उवाच
The verse highlights dayā (compassion) as a defining virtue of the sages: even those devoted to austerity and forest life are ‘melted’ by empathy and respond by coming together, suggesting that spiritual excellence is inseparable from humane concern.
Śaunaka enumerates a succession of renowned forest-dwelling ṛṣis who arrive one after another. Pramati comes with his son Ruku, followed by several named sages; all are described as eminent dvijas who have come to the place, stirred by compassion.