तं ज्ञात्वा मनुजा राजन् पुरस्तादेव सर्वत: । समन्तपञ्चकं क्षेत्रं ययु: श्रेयोविधित्सया ॥ २ ॥
taṁ jñātvā manujā rājan purastād eva sarvataḥ samanta-pañcakaṁ kṣetraṁ yayuḥ śreyo-vidhitsayā
- tam
- that
- jñātvā
- knowing
- manujāḥ
- people
- rājan
- O King (Parīkṣit)
- purastāt
- beforehand
- eva
- even
- sarvataḥ
- from everywhere
- samanta-pañcakam
- named Samanta-pañcaka (within the sacred district of Kurukṣetra)
- kṣetram
- to the field
- yayuḥ
- went
- śreyaḥ
- benefit
- vidhitsayā
- wishing to create
Knowing of this eclipse in advance, O King, many people went to the holy place known as Samanta-pañcaka in order to earn pious credit.