Shloka 176
Nakula’s Declaration and the Uñchavṛtti Brāhmaṇa’s Superior Merit (Āśvamedhika Parva, Adhyāya 92)
चिन्तायज्ञं करिष्यामि विधिरेष सनातन: । “यदि इन्द्र बारह वर्षोंतक वर्षा नहीं करेंगे तो मैं चिन्तनमात्रके द्वारा मानसिक यज्ञ करूँगा। यह यज्ञकी सनातन विधि है
cintāyajñaṃ kariṣyāmi vidhireṣa sanātanaḥ |
میں محض تفکّر سے ذہنی یَجْن کروں گا؛ یہی یَجْن کی سناتن (قدیم) विधि ہے۔ اگر اندر بارہ برس تک بارش نہ کرے تب بھی میں اسی طرح دھرم کا پالن کروں گا۔
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
When outer ritual becomes obstructed by circumstances, dharma can still be upheld through an inner, intention-based discipline—here framed as a ‘mental sacrifice’ (cintāyajña). The verse affirms that inner consecration is also a sanctioned, ancient method (sanātana-vidhi).
The speaker (as narrated by Vaiśampāyana) states a resolve to perform a contemplative, purely mental yajña, presented as a traditional injunction—especially relevant in a situation where Indra’s rain is withheld and ordinary sacrificial arrangements may fail.