स्कन्दोपाख्यानम् — उत्पातशान्तिः, स्वाहारूपविचारः, कौमारमङ्गलक्रियाः
मार्कण्डेय उवाच बाढमित्येव तौ विप्र: प्रत्युवाच मुदान्वित: । धर्मव्याधो निरीक्ष्याथ ततस्तं वाक्यमब्रवीत्,मार्कण्डेयजी कहते हैं--राजन्! तब कौशिक ब्राह्मणने उन्हें प्रसन्नतापूर्वक उत्तर दिया--'हाँ, मुझे कोई कष्ट नहीं हुआ।' तदनन्तर धर्मव्याधने अपने पिता-माताकी ओर देखते हुए कौशिक ब्राह्मणसे कहा
mārkaṇḍeya uvāca | bāḍham ity eva tau vipraḥ pratyuvāca mudānvitaḥ | dharmavyādho nirīkṣyātha tatas taṃ vākyam abravīt |
มารกัณฑेयกล่าวว่า พราหมณ์ผู้นั้นตอบด้วยความยินดีว่า “แน่นอน” แล้วธรรมพยาธะเหลือบมองไปยังบิดามารดา ก่อนจะกล่าวถ้อยคำต่อพราหมณ์ผู้นั้น
मार्कण्डेय उवाच
The verse foregrounds dharma as lived responsibility: the Dharmavyadha’s glance toward his parents signals that ethical speech and action are grounded in service and duty to those one must care for, not merely in status or learning.
Kauśika, the brahmin, responds cheerfully that he has not been harmed. Immediately after, the Dharmavyadha—mindful of his parents—turns to speak to Kauśika, setting up further instruction on right conduct.