Shloka 3
नारदेन दिव्यसभाः कथितुं प्रतिज्ञा
Nārada’s Prelude to Describing the Divine Assemblies
राजभिर्यद् यथा कार्य पुरा वै तन्न संशय: । यथान्यायोपनीतार्थ कृत॑ हेतुमदर्थवत्
rājabhir yad yathā kāryaṃ purā vai tan na saṃśayaḥ | yathānyāyopanītārthaṃ kṛtaṃ hetumad arthavat ||
قال يودهيشثيرا: «لا شكّ أنّ ما كان ينهض به ملوكُ الأوّلين من أعمال، وبأيّ وجهٍ أتمّوها، إنما كان أفعالًا قائمة على العدل—تسندها عللٌ راسخة وتُوجَّه إلى غايةٍ محدّدة.»
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Yudhiṣṭhira affirms a standard of rājadharma: royal action should be nyāya-based (just and procedurally proper), hetumat (supported by clear reasons), and arthavat (aimed at a definite, meaningful public purpose), rather than arbitrary or self-serving.
In the Sabha Parva context, Yudhiṣṭhira reflects on the conduct of earlier rulers, invoking the precedent of ancient kings to frame how a king ought to act—carefully, lawfully, and with purposeful intent—while deliberations about royal policy and conduct are underway.