Shloka 56
Āśvamedhika-parva, Adhyāya 14
Consolation of Yudhiṣṭhira; Rites and Gifts; Return to Hastināpura
अन्वशासच्च धर्मात्मा पृथिवीं सागराम्बराम् । तदनन्तर राजा युधिष्ठिरने देवताओं और ब्राह्मणोंका पूजन किया और मरे हुए बन्धु- बान्धवोंका श्राद्ध करके वे धर्मात्मा नरेश समुद्रपर्यन्त पृथ्वीका शासन करने लगे
Vaiśampāyana uvāca: anvāśāsac ca dharmātmā pṛthivīṃ sāgarāmbarām | tad-anantaraṃ rājā yudhiṣṭhirena devatā-brāhmaṇānāṃ pūjanaṃ kṛtam, mṛtānāṃ bandhu-bāndhavānāṃ śrāddhaṃ ca kṛtvā sa dharmātmā nareśaḥ samudra-paryantāṃ pṛthivīṃ śāsituṃ pracakrame |
Vaiśampāyana sprach: Da regierte jener dharmabeseelte König die Erde, vom Ozean umgrenzt. Danach verehrte König Yudhiṣṭhira die Götter und ehrte die Brahmanen; und nachdem er die Śrāddha-Riten (śrāddha) für seine verstorbenen Verwandten ordnungsgemäß dargebracht hatte, begann dieser dem Dharma verpflichtete Herrscher das Reich, das bis zu den Meeren reichte, zu verwalten und nach der Verwüstung des Krieges durch Ehrfurcht, Dankbarkeit und rechtmäßiges Königtum die Ordnung wiederherzustellen.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights rajadharma: a king’s legitimacy and stability arise from dharmic governance joined with reverence for the sacred (deities and Brāhmaṇas) and responsibility toward the dead through śrāddha. Political order is shown as inseparable from ethical duty, gratitude, and ritual obligations.
After the war, Yudhiṣṭhira performs worship and honors Brāhmaṇas, then conducts śrāddha rites for deceased relatives. Having completed these duties, he begins ruling the ocean-bounded earth, signaling the restoration of lawful kingship and social-religious order.