Shloka 20
Chapter 26: Śoka-pratiṣedha, Hata-saṅkhyā, Gati-vibhāga, Pretakārya-ājñā
Restraint of Grief, Count of the Slain, Destinies, and Funerary Directives
युधिष्ठिर बोले--महाराज! पहले आपकी आज्ञासे जब मैं वनमें विचरता था, उन्हीं दिनों तीर्थयात्राके प्रसंगसे मुझे एक महात्माका इस रूपमें अनुग्रह प्राप्त हुआ ।। देवर्षिलोंमशो दृष्टस्तत: प्राप्तो5स्म्यनुस्मृतिम् । दिव्यं चक्षुरपि प्राप्तं ज्ञानयोगेन वै पुरा,तीर्थयात्राके समय देवर्षि लोमशका दर्शन हुआ था। उन्हींसे मैंने यह अनुस्मृतिविद्या प्राप्त की थी। इसके सिवा, पूर्वकालमें ज्ञानयोगके प्रभावसे मुझे दिव्यदृष्टि भी प्राप्त हो गयी थी
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca—mahārāja! pūrvaṃ tava ājñayā yadāhaṃ vane vicarann āsam, tadā tīrthayātrā-prasaṅgena mamaikena mahātmanā anugrahaḥ prāptaḥ. devarṣir lomaśo dṛṣṭas tataḥ prāpto ’smy anusmṛtim; divyaṃ cakṣur api prāptaṃ jñāna-yogena vai purā.
Yudhiṣṭhira disse: “Ó grande rei! Outrora, quando—por tua ordem—eu vagava pela floresta, uma ocasião ligada à peregrinação aos tīrthas trouxe-me a graça de um grande sábio. Tive o darśana do vidente divino Lomaśa, e dele obtive o poder da recordação (anusmṛti). Além disso, em tempos antigos, pela disciplina do yoga do conhecimento (jñāna-yoga), alcancei também a visão divina (divya-dṛṣṭi). Assim, o que digo se funda em instrução espiritual recebida e em visão interior, não em mera conjectura.”
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Yudhiṣṭhira grounds his testimony in two sources of reliable knowledge: (1) grace received from a realized sage (Lomaśa) in the context of pilgrimage, granting him anusmṛti (power of recollection), and (2) inner realization through jñāna-yoga, granting divya-cakṣus (divine sight). Ethically, it emphasizes humility and epistemic responsibility: one should speak on grave matters only with proper authority—scriptural/sage transmission and disciplined insight.
In the Strī Parva’s aftermath of the war, Yudhiṣṭhira explains to the addressed king that earlier—during his forest life—he met the devarṣi Lomaśa on pilgrimage and received a special recollective knowledge (anusmṛti). He adds that he had also attained divine vision through jñāna-yoga. He is establishing the basis for what he is about to recount or judge, presenting his knowledge as spiritually authenticated.