युधिष्ठिरप्रश्नः—विश्वामित्रस्य ब्राह्मणत्वकौतूहलम् | Yudhiṣṭhira’s Inquiry on Viśvāmitra’s Attainment of Brāhmaṇya
इतना ही नहीं, इस मनुष्य-लोकमें उन्होंने उस महान् कुशिक-वंशको स्थापित किया जो अब सैकड़ों ब्रह्मर्षियोंसे व्याप्त और दिद्वान ब्राह्मणोंसे प्रशंसित है ।।
ṛcīkasyātmajaś caiva śunaḥśepo mahātapāḥ | vimokṣito mahāsatrāt paśutām apy upāgataḥ ||
玉提湿提罗说道:“而梨支迦(R̥cīka)之子、伟大的苦行者首那舍波(Śunaḥśepa)——纵然已被带到盛大的祭会中作为牺牲之‘祭牲’——也从那宏大的仪式中被解救出来。”此段追述:当一个人被贬作祭祀之牲,仍可因正义圣贤的介入而复归尊严;并彰显慈悲与护生之德,较之仪轨的完成更为崇高。
युधिछिर उवाच
Ritual action is not supreme when it violates higher dharma: compassion, protection of life, and restoring a person’s dignity outweigh the mere completion of a sacrifice.
Yudhiṣṭhira recalls Śunaḥśepa, son of Ṛcīka, who was brought to a great sacrificial session as a victim; despite being treated as a sacrificial animal, he was freed from the rite—an example of righteous intervention overriding harmful ritual necessity.