Texts 9-10: From different parts of the universe there arrived great sages like Atri, Cyavana, Śaradvān, Ariṣṭanemi, Bhṛgu, Vasiṣṭha, Parāśara, Viśvāmitra, Aṅgirā, Paraśurāma, Utathya, Indrapramada, Idhmavāhu, Medhātithi, Devala, Ārṣṭiṣeṇa, Bhāradvāja, Gautama, Pippalāda, Maitreya, Aurva, Kavaṣa, Kumbhayoni, Dvaipāyana and the great personality Nārada.
Text 11: There were also many other saintly demigods, kings and special royal orders called aruṇādayas [a special rank of rājarṣis] from different dynasties of sages. When they all assembled together to meet the Emperor [Parīkṣit], he received them properly and bowed his head to the ground.
Text 12: After all the ṛṣis and others had seated themselves comfortably, the King, humbly standing before them with folded hands, told them of his decision to fast until death.
Śrīdharasvāmi's Bhāvārthadīpikā:
The sages like Aruṇa and others were distinctly mentioned as being predominantly knowers of the Brahman-knowledge. He bowed down, touching the ground with his head, to the foremost among those sages of various gotras. (11)
He prostrated again to convey his purpose. The one whose mind was pure and focused. He joined his hands together - by him who was in that state, his desire, whether proper or improper like sitting down for fasting etc., was conveyed. (12)
Śrī Vaṃśīdhara's Bhāvārthadīpikā Prakāśa:
He mentions some sages by name, "Atri and others". Śaradvan, the father of Kṛpācārya, Gādhisuta Viśvāmitra, Rāma, Paraśurāma. (9-10)
"Kaṇḍarṣitva" means being predominant knowers of the Jñāna-kāṇḍa, the sages focused on that. They were mentioned distinctly from the Brahmarṣis focused mainly on karma and upāsanā like Rājarṣis etc., because of that distinction. (11)
Then about the reply to his prostration. "Viviktacetāḥ" means of pure mind. (12)
Śrīmad Vīrarāghava Vyākhyā:
Showing who those sages were, he says "Atri and others" in two and a half verses. Gādhisuta Viśvāmitra, Rāma Bhārgava, Kumbhayoni Agastya. (9-10)
And other foremost Devarṣis, foremost Brahmarṣis, best Rājarṣis, and sages like Aruṇa - having arrived there, to all those assembled, foremost of various gotras, King Parīkṣit bowed down, touching the ground with his head. (11)
Then, once they were comfortably seated, the King prostrated again. That King, standing near them with joined hands, with a discriminating mind, conveyed his desire to do what he wished. (12)
Here is my attempt to translate those abbreviations into English:
0. Prā. Pā stands for "prāchīna pāṭha" - "ancient reading."; 1. Prā. Pā. - Indrapramatiḥ Subāhuḥ.; 2. Prā. Pā. - Kavayaḥ. (An alternate reading - The poet-seers); 3. Prā. Pā. - Devarṣimaharṣi. (An alternate reading - The great seer-sages and divine seer-sages); 4. Prā. Pā. - Nānarṣisaṃghāna- purataḥ. (An alternate reading - In front of the assemblies of various sages)
Śrīmad Vijayādhvaja Tīrtha's Padaratnāvalī:
He mentions the names of the sages, saying "Atri and others". Gādhisuta Viśvāmitra, Rāma, Paraśurāma, Indrapramati and Idhmavāha - Indrapramati and Idhmavāha. (9) Kumbhayoni Agastya. (10) And other renowned ones with renowned names - the Devarṣis like Nārada, the Brahmarṣis like Rāma, the Rājarṣis like Viśvāmitra. The repetition is for the purpose of mentioning the distinctions of their lineages. Aruṇa and others - the groups of those sages were described as such. Among them, the foremost of various gotras - having honored them with arghya, pādya etc., is implied. Bowing down by touching the ground with the head - here namaskāra (prostration) alone is intended, because of the subsequent statement "kṛtapranāma" (prostrated). (11)
This one (Parīkṣit), who was attending upon the sages, whose hands were joined - he conveyed to them his desire to do as he wished. This is the connection. (12)
Śrīmaj Jīva Gosvāmī's Krama Sandarbha:
"He conveyed" means "will be conveyed" as mentioned (in the future tense). (9-12)
Śrīmad Viśvanātha Cakravartī's Sārārthadarśinī:
Aruṇa and others were distinctly mentioned as being predominantly knowers of the Brahman-knowledge. 11 With joined hands, having made the añjali gesture. (12)
Śrīmac Chukadeva's Siddhāntapradīpa:
And among the Devarṣis and Brahmarṣis, the best, foremost ones, and the best Rājarṣis and distinct sages like Aruṇa and others also arrived there. To those assembled, foremost of the various gotras of sages, he bowed down, touching the ground with his head. (11)
Then, once they were comfortably seated as appropriate, the one whose mind was pure and focused, with joined hands, this one approached and prostrated again for the purpose of conveying. By him, his desire - the means for contemplating on the feet of Mukunda preceded by fasting etc., whether it should be performed or not - was conveyed. (12)
Śrīmad Vallabhācārya's Subodhinī Vyākhyā:
He mentions their purifying capacity as being due to their virtuous nature. Ātreya, the chief among Brāhmaṇas, is counted first as Atri. Śāradwān, Kṛpa or another Gādhisuta Viśvāmitra, Rāma, Paraśurāma, Utatthya the father of Gautama, the devotees of the Lord like Brahmā's disciples, are counted. Then those who expounded knowledge like Atri and others. Those who expounded dharma like Rāma and Pippāladā. Those who expounded bhakti like Maitreya and Nārada. Since bhakti is sixfold, the disciples of Nārada are counted as such. He mentions other miscellaneous ones with "and others". For this very reason, the three types of sages are mentioned. Aruṇa is some sage. (9-10)
When they arrived, he mentions the king's duty towards them with "tān āratān" - the foremost among the gotras of sages, all of whom had arrived together appropriately. Thus, he worshipped them collectively with consent, as appropriate. Whichever worship was done according to his desire, so as to avoid any fault in the case of those who were not distracted. Having prostrated for the purpose of conveying, being singularly devoted and focused, he stood up with humility for clarification and for the purpose of dispelling any objections. (11)
Having joined his hands, he says "he conveyed" with "sukhopavisteshu" - then, after the completion of worship, the one whose mind was detached and purified within himself, with hands joined facing him. (12)
Śrīmad Gosvāmi Śrī Puruṣottama Caraṇa's Subodhinī Prakāśa:
"Atri and others" here. "Another" means that since Kṛpa was famous as Śāradwat, and Gautama was mentioned, it means "like that". "Devotees of the Lord" means ending with Nārada. They explain the internal divisions with "atha" and so on. (9)
Śrī Giridhara's Bālaprabodhini:
In anticipation of the question "Who were those sages?", he says "Atri and others" with a half-verse pair. Gādhisuta Viśvāmitra. Rāma Paraśurāma. 9 Kumbhayoni Agastya. (10)
And the sages like Aruṇa and others were distinctly mentioned as being predominantly knowers of the Brahman-knowledge. The king, having honored those foremost ones among the various gotras of sages who had arrived in his presence, prostrated touching the ground with his head. (11)
Then, once they were comfortably seated, this one approached them again for the purpose of conveying, with joined hands as the king. Whatever was his desire, he conveyed - this is the connection. Now, a doubt may arise - being a discerning person himself, how did he convey to them? To remove this doubt, he says "viviktacetā" - meaning the one whose mind was pure and free from the notion of his own greatness. (12)
Hindi Anuvāda
At that time, there was an auspicious arrival of Atri, Vasiṣṭha, Cyavana, Śāradwān, Ariṣṭanemi, Bhṛgu, Aṅgirā, Parāśara, Viśvāmitra, Paraśurāma, Utathya, Indrapramada, Idhmavāha, Medhātithi, Devala, Āṣṭiṃpeṇa, Bhāradwāja, Gautama, Pippalāda, Maitreya, Aurva, Kavaṣa, Agastya, Lord Vyāsa, Nārada and in addition many other exalted sages, brahma-ṛṣis and royal sages like Aruṇa. Seeing the main sages of various gotras assembled together, the king duly honored them all and prostrated by placing his head at their feet. (9-11)
When everyone was comfortably seated on their respective seats, King Parīkṣit prostrated to them again and standing before them with a pure heart, joined his hands and began to convey whatever he wished to do. (12)
SB 1.19.9-12
