भीष्म उवाच आसीत् किल नरश्रेष्ठ महापद्ये पुरोत्तमे। गङ्गाया दक्षिणे तीरे कश्चिद् विप्रः समाहितः।
Bhishma said "In a beautiful town called by the name of Mahapadma which was situate on the southern side of the river Ganga, there lived, O best of men, a Brahmana of concentrated Soul.
सौम्यः सोमान्वये वेदे गताध्वा छिन्नसंशयः। धर्मनित्यो जितक्रोधो नित्यतृप्तो जितेन्द्रियः॥
Born in the family of Atri, he was amiable by nature. All his doubts had been removed and he was well conversant with the path he was to follow. Ever practising the duties of religion, he had a complete hold over his passion. Always contented, he was the perfect master of his senses.
तपःस्वाध्यायनिरतः सत्यः सज्जनसम्मतः। न्यायप्राप्तेन वित्तेन स्वेन शीलेन चान्वितः॥
Given to penances and the study of the Vedas, he was respected by all good men. He acquired riches by fair means and his conduct in all things tallied with the mode of life he led and the order to which he belonged.
ज्ञातिसम्बन्धिविपुले सत्त्वाद्याश्रयसम्मिते। कुले महति विख्याते विशिष्टां वृत्तिमास्थितः॥
The family to which the belonging was large and famous. He had many kinsmen and relatives, and many children and wives. His conduct was always respectable and faultless.
स पुत्रान् बहुलान् दृष्ट्वा विपुले कर्मणि स्थितः। कुलधर्माश्रितो राजन् धर्मचर्यास्थितोऽभवत्॥
Observing that he had many children, the Brahmana began to perform religious acts on a large scale. His religious observances, O king, were according to the customs of his own family.
ततः स धर्मं वेदोक्तं तथा शास्त्रोक्तमेव चा शिष्टाचीर्णं च धर्मं च त्रिविधं चिन्त्य चेतसा॥
The Brahmana thought that there were three kinds of duties laid down for observances. There were, first, the duties ordained in the Vedas about the order in which he was born and the mode of life he was leading. There were, secondly, the duties sanctioned in the scriptures, viz., those especially called the Dharmashastras. And, thirdly, there were those duties that eminent and revered men of ancient times have followed, through not laid down either in the Vedas or the Scriptures.
किन्नु मे स्याच्छुभं कृत्वा किं कृतं किं परायणम्। इत्येवं खिद्यते नित्यं न च याति विनिश्चयम्॥
Which of these duties should I follow? Which of thein, again, followed by me, are likely to produce my benefit? Which, indeed, should be my refuge? Thoughts like these always troubled him. He could not solve his doubts.
तस्यैवं खिद्यमानस्य धर्मं परममास्थितः। कदाचिदतिथिः प्राप्तो ब्राह्मणः सुसमाहितः॥
While troubled with such thoughts, a Brahmana of concentrated soul and observant of every superior religion, came to his house as a guest.
स तस्मै सक्रियां चक्रे क्रियायुक्तेन हेतुना। विश्रान्तं सुसमासीनमिदं वचनमब्रवीत्॥
The house-holder duly respected his guest according to those ordinances of worship that are laid down in the scriptures. Seeing his guest refreshed and seated at ease, the host addressed him in the following words.