Shloka 13
आदि पर्व (अध्याय १२७) — रङ्गे कर्णस्य अवमानः, दुर्योधनस्य प्रतिपक्ष-निवृत्तिः, मैत्री-स्थापनम् / Ādi Parva (Chapter 127) — Karṇa’s Public Humiliation, Duryodhana’s Intervention, and the Formation of Alliance
याजकै: शुक्लवासोभिट्ठयमाना हुताशना: । अगच्छन्नग्रतस्तस्य दीप्यमाना: स्वलंकृता:,पुरोहितलोग सफेद वस्त्र धारण करके अग्निहोत्रकी अग्निमें आहुति डालते जाते थे। वे अग्नियाँ माला आदिसे अलंकृत एवं प्रज्वलित हो पाण्डुकी पालकीके आगे-आगे चल रही थीं। सहसों ब्राह्मण, क्षत्रिय, वैश्य और शूद्र शोकसे संतप्त हो रोते हुए महाराज पाण्डुकी शिबिकाके पीछे जा रहे थे
yājakaiḥ śuklavāsobhiḥ tiṣṭhyamānā hutāśanāḥ | agacchann agratas tasya dīpyamānāḥ svalāṅkṛtāḥ ||
Vaiśaṃpāyana said: Priests clad in white garments proceeded ahead, tending the sacred fires and offering oblations into them. Those fires—brightly blazing and adorned as for a rite—moved in front of him, while the people followed behind in grief, lamenting as they went.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights dharma expressed through proper Vedic observance: even in mourning, society maintains ritual order—priests lead with consecrated fire and oblations—showing respect for the departed and continuity of sacred duty.
A solemn procession is described: priests in white move ahead, maintaining and feeding the ritual fires with oblations; the blazing, decorated fires go before the central figure of the procession, while mourners follow behind, weeping.