Shloka 29
ब्राह्मणपूजा-राजधर्मः | Royal Duty of Honoring Learned Brahmins
इस प्रकार श्रीमह्ा भारत अनुशासनपर्वके अन्तर्गत दानधर्मपर्वमें इन्द्र और मतज्ञका संवादविषयक उनतीसवाँ अध्याय पूरा हुआ
śakra uvāca | ahaṁ iṣṭiṁ kariṣyāmi putrārtha te viśāmpate | vītahavya-sahasrāṇi yena tvaṁ prahariṣyasi ||
अहमिष्टिं करिष्यामि पुत्रार्थं ते विशाम्पते । वीतहव्यसहस्राणि येन त्वं प्रहरिष्यसि ॥
शक्र उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the perceived potency of Vedic ritual (iṣṭi) to secure desired ends—here, progeny and martial success—while also raising an ethical tension: divine-sanctioned means can be directed toward destructive outcomes, reminding readers that power gained through ritual or boon still carries moral responsibility and consequences.
Indra addresses a king (called ‘viśāmpati’) and promises to perform a special sacrifice to help him obtain a son; Indra further states that, empowered by this rite, the king will be able to kill thousands of Vītahavya’s sons/descendants.