Shloka 71
Puṣkara-Śapatha Itihāsa (Agastya–Indra Dispute at the Tīrthas) | पुष्कर-शपथ-आख्यानम्
कदाचिद् विचरन्तस्ते वृक्षैरविरलैवृताम् । शुचिवारिप्रसन्नोदां ददृशु: पद्मिनीं शुभाम्
kadācid vicarantas te vṛkṣair aviralair vṛtām | śucivāriprasannodāṁ dadṛśuḥ padminīṁ śubhām ||
毗湿摩说道：有一次，诸贤游行之际，望见一处吉祥的莲池，四周密林环绕，树影连绵不绝。池水澄澈清净，安宁恬然。
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds purity and auspicious surroundings—clear water and a serene lotus-pond—often used in the Mahabharata as a narrative cue that a morally significant encounter or instruction is imminent; the setting itself reflects dharmic order (śauca, inner and outer cleanliness) and receptivity.
While wandering, the sages come upon a beautiful lotus-pond surrounded by dense trees, with pure and tranquil water; this discovery functions as a scene-setting transition before the next event or discourse.