Shloka 8
Plakṣāvataraṇa–Yamunā Tīrtha and Prajāpati’s Vedī
Kurukṣetra Threshold
अन्रानुवंशं पठत: शृणु मे कुरुनन्दन । उलूखलैराभरणै: पिशाची यदभाषत,कुरुनन्दन! इस तीर्थके विषयमें एक परम्परा-प्राप्त कथाको सूचित करनेवाले कुछ श्लोक हैं जिन्हें मैं पढ़ता हूँ, तुम मेरे मुखसे सुनो--(प्राचीनकालकी बात है, कोई स्त्री अपने पुत्रके साथ इस तीर्थमें निवास करनेके लिये आयी थी, उससे) एक भयंकर पिशाचीने, जिसने ओखली-जैसे आभूषण पहन रखे थे, उन श्लोकोंको कहा था--
anrānuvamśaṃ paṭhataḥ śṛṇu me kurunandana | ulūkhalair ābharaṇaiḥ piśācī yad abhāṣata ||
Ó alegria dos Kurus, escuta-me enquanto recito uma antiga tradição transmitida pela linhagem. Lerei os versos que aqui foram proferidos por uma terrível pishachi, adornada com enfeites como almofarizes—versos que apontam para um relato antigo, herdado, ligado a este vau sagrado.
लोगश उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames the tīrtha’s significance through a tradition transmitted in succession: sacred places are understood not only by geography but by remembered narratives, and one should listen attentively to inherited accounts that preserve moral and ritual meaning.
The speaker addresses a Kuru prince and announces that he will recite an old, tradition-based story connected with the tīrtha, specifically verses once spoken there by a terrifying piśācī described as wearing mortar-like ornaments.