Shloka 19
Duḥṣantasya Vana-praveśaḥ
King Duḥṣanta’s Entry into the Forest Hunt
ततः प्रभृति चाद्यापि यष्टे: क्षितिपसत्तमै: । प्रवेश: क्रियते राजन् यथा तेन प्रवर्तित:,राजन्! तबसे लेकर आजतक श्रेष्ठ राजाओंद्वारा छड़ी धरतीमें गाड़ी जाती है। वसुने जो प्रथा चला दी, वह अबतक चली आती है
tataḥ prabhṛti cādyāpi yaṣṭeḥ kṣitipasattamaiḥ | praveśaḥ kriyate rājan yathā tena pravartitaḥ ||
হে রাজন! সেই সময় থেকে আজ পর্যন্ত শ্রেষ্ঠ নৃপতিরা দণ্ডটি ভূমিতে গেঁথে ‘প্রবেশ’ অনুষ্ঠান সম্পন্ন করেন—যেমনটি তিনি প্রবর্তন করেছিলেন। এভাবেই বসুর স্থাপিত প্রথা আজও অব্যাহত।
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how a righteous or authoritative act by a king can crystallize into enduring social and royal custom. It underscores continuity of dharma through established precedent (ācāra) maintained by exemplary rulers.
Vaiśaṃpāyana explains to the king that a particular royal rite—planting a ceremonial staff into the ground—has been performed by great kings from that earlier time up to the present, following the precedent instituted by a prior ruler.