Shloka 5
गदायुद्ध-समारम्भः
Commencement of the Mace-Duel Proceedings
अत्र विष्णु: पुरा देवस्तप्तवांस्तप उत्तमम् | अत्रास्य विधिवद् यज्ञा: सर्वे वृत्ता: सनातना:
atra viṣṇuḥ purā devas taptavāṁs tapa uttamam | atrāsya vidhivad yajñāḥ sarve vṛttāḥ sanātanāḥ ||
“قدیم زمانے میں اسی مقام پر دیوتا وِشنو نے اعلیٰ ترین تپسیا کی تھی؛ اور یہیں اُس کے سب سناتن یَجْن بھی پوری ودھی کے ساتھ انجام پائے تھے۔”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse links sanctity and authority to disciplined austerity (tapas) and properly performed rites (vidhi). It suggests that enduring dharma is upheld through self-control and lawful, conscientious action rather than mere power.
Vaiśampāyana is describing a particular place as holy by recalling that Viṣṇu once practiced supreme austerity there and that his eternal sacrifices were performed there in full accordance with ritual procedure.