Shloka 173
Atithi-prāpti and the Brāhmaṇa’s Deliberation on Triadic Dharma (अतिथिप्राप्तिः धर्मत्रयविचारश्च)
नापुराणविदा चैव शक्यो व्याहर्तुमज्जसा । वैशम्पायनजीने कहा--जनेश्वर! तुमने बड़ा गूढ़ प्रश्न उपस्थित किया है। जिसने तपस्या नहीं की है तथा जो वेदों और पुराणोंका विद्वान् नहीं है
na purāṇavidā caiva śakyo vyāhartum ajjasā |
नापुराणविदा चैव शक्यो व्याहर्तुमज्जसा ।
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse stresses adhikāra (fitness/qualification): profound spiritual or ethical questions and their articulation require tapas (discipline) and grounding in authoritative traditions like the Vedas and Purāṇas, not mere curiosity.
Vaiśampāyana responds to a question by emphasizing its depth and implying that only someone with austerity and scriptural learning would be capable of posing (and properly engaging) such a subtle inquiry.