स वासुदेवेन समुद्धृतश्न पृष्टश्न कार्य निजगाद राजा । नृगस्तदा55त्मानमथो न्यवेदयत् पुरातनं यज्ञसहस्रयाजिनम्
sa vāsudevena samuddhṛtaḥ pṛṣṭaś ca kāryaṁ nijagāda rājā | nṛgas tadātmānam atho nyavedayat purātanaṁ yajñasahasrayājinam ||
Nang ia’y iahon ni Vāsudeva at tanungin tungkol sa nangyari, sumagot ang hari. Noon ay inihayag ni Nṛga ang kanyang pagkakakilanlan—isang sinaunang hari na bantog sa pagganap ng libu-libong paghahandog—at sa gayon ay iniuugnay ang kanyang pagdurusa sa bigat ng mga gawa at bunga nito.
भीष्म उवाच
Merit from grand rituals and public piety does not exempt one from the precise workings of dharma and karma; even a famed sacrificer may face consequences, and truthful self-disclosure becomes the starting point for ethical clarification and instruction.
After being lifted up by Vāsudeva, the afflicted king is questioned about his situation; he responds by revealing that he is Nṛga, an ancient king celebrated for performing thousands of sacrifices, setting the stage for explaining how his present condition arose.