Shloka 1
Aśvamedha-dīkṣā, Vyāsa’s horse-release, and Arjuna’s departure with Gāṇḍīva (आश्वमेधिक-दीक्षा तथा हय-उत्सर्गः)
व बछ। डिश द्विसप्ततितमो< ध्याय: व्यासजीकी आज्ञासे अश्वकी रक्षाके लिये अर्जुनकी
Vaiśampāyana uvāca: evam uktas tu kṛṣṇena dharmaputro yudhiṣṭhiraḥ | vyāsam āmantya medhāvī tato vacanam abravīt ||
قال فايشَمبايانا: «يا جاناميجايا، لما قال كريشنا ذلك، خاطب يودهِشْثيرا الحكيم—ابنَ الدارما—فياسا ثم قال: “أيها المبجَّل، متى رأيتَ الوقتَ مناسبًا لبدء قربان الأشوَميدها (Aśvamedha)، فتعالَ وامنحني الديكشا (dīkṣā: طقس التكريس والدخول في النسك)؛ فإنّ هذا القربان مني قائمٌ عليك اعتمادًا تامًّا.”»
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even a sovereign king submits to dharma by seeking proper authorization and timing from a qualified spiritual authority (Vyāsa). The passage emphasizes humility, ritual correctness, and the ethical principle that power should be guided by wisdom and dharmic counsel.
After Kṛṣṇa’s counsel, Yudhiṣṭhira turns to Vyāsa and requests that Vyāsa himself determine the right moment to commence the Aśvamedha and to initiate him with the required consecration, acknowledging that the success and legitimacy of the rite depend on Vyāsa’s guidance.