Shloka 18
अश्वमेधावसानम् — Dakṣiṇā-vibhāga and Avabhṛtha
Completion of the Aśvamedha
तेषां विवाद: सुमहान् शक्रयज्ञे तपस्विनाम्
teṣāṃ vivādaḥ sumahān śakrayajñe tapasvinām
毗舍波耶那说：在那些苦行者之间，于释迦（因陀罗）的祭祀中爆发了一场极大的争论——由此可见，即便博学而自持之人，一旦牵涉到祭仪先后、功德高下与正行之判定，也会被卷入纷争。
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights an ethical caution: spiritual attainment and ritual expertise do not automatically prevent conflict. Dharma requires humility and restraint, especially in contexts—like sacrifice and public religious acts—where status, precedence, and claims of merit can provoke rivalry.
The narrator reports that a major dispute breaks out among a group of ascetics during an Indra-related sacrificial occasion. This sets the stage for the ensuing account explaining the cause of their contention and its implications for right conduct.