इति श्रुत्वा मुनिवरो मुनिश्रेष्ठमुपेत्य तम् । प्रणम्य शिरसा भूमौ पप्रच्छेदं हृदि स्थितम्
iti śrutvā munivaro muniśreṣṭhamupetya tam | praṇamya śirasā bhūmau papracchedaṃ hṛdi sthitam
Услышав это, превосходный мудрец приблизился к лучшему из мудрецов; склонив голову до земли в поклонении, он задал вопрос, давно пребывавший в его сердце.
Suśravā (narrating)
Tirtha: Sarasvatī-tīra (contextual)
Type: ghat
Scene: Kātyāyana arrives at the riverbank hermitage, bows fully with head to the earth before Sārasvata, hands folded; the sage sits composed, ready to answer.
Right inquiry is inseparable from humility—approach the wise with reverence and ask from the heart.
Implicitly the Sarasvatī-tīra context continues, as the inquiry occurs after reaching the instructed sacred riverbank.
The conduct is prescribed by example: approach the guru, bow (praṇāma), and then ask the dharmic question.