Shloka 18
अश्वमेधावसानम् — Dakṣiṇā-vibhāga and Avabhṛtha
Completion of the Aśvamedha
तेषां विवाद: सुमहान् शक्रयज्ञे तपस्विनाम्
teṣāṃ vivādaḥ sumahān śakrayajñe tapasvinām
Вайшампаяна сказал: Среди тех подвижников на жертвоприношении Шакры (Индры) возникла весьма великая распря,—показывая, что даже учёные и владеющие собой могут быть втянуты в спор, когда решаются вопросы ритуального первенства, заслуги и праведного поведения.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights an ethical caution: spiritual attainment and ritual expertise do not automatically prevent conflict. Dharma requires humility and restraint, especially in contexts—like sacrifice and public religious acts—where status, precedence, and claims of merit can provoke rivalry.
The narrator reports that a major dispute breaks out among a group of ascetics during an Indra-related sacrificial occasion. This sets the stage for the ensuing account explaining the cause of their contention and its implications for right conduct.