Shloka 16
Vidurovācā: Śreyas, Mantra, and Conciliation toward the Pāṇḍavas (विदुरोवाच—श्रेयः-मन्त्र-समाधानम्)
शतं गजानामपि पद्मिनां तथा शतं गिरीणामिव हेमश्ज्ञिणाम् । तथैव दासीशतम ग्र्ययौवनं महाहवेषाभरणाम्बरस्रजम्,पद्म आदि उत्तम लक्षणोंसे युक्त सौ हाथी तथा पर्वतोंके समान ऊँचे और सुनहरे हौदोंसे सुशोभित सौ हाथी और (साथ ही) बहुमूल्य शुंगार-सामग्री, वस्त्राभूषण एवं हार धारण करनेवाली एक सौ नवयौवना दासियाँ भी भेंट की
vaiśampāyana uvāca | śataṃ gajānām api padmināṃ tathā śataṃ girīṇām iva hemaśṛṅgiṇām | tathaiva dāsīśataṃ gryayauvanaṃ mahāhaveṣābharaṇāmbarasrajam ||
Vaiśampāyana said: He presented a hundred noble elephants as well—lotus-marked and auspicious—and another hundred towering like mountains, adorned with golden trappings. Likewise, he offered a hundred young maidservants in the prime of youth, richly arrayed with costly ornaments, garments, and garlands.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how royal generosity and conspicuous gifting function as instruments of status and political relationship. Ethically, it invites reflection on dāna as a virtue when aligned with dharma, while also revealing the epic’s historical social assumptions—especially the objectification of human attendants as part of wealth.
A king or patron (contextually, the giver in this episode) is described as presenting lavish gifts: large numbers of high-quality elephants with splendid golden equipment, and a hundred young maidservants adorned with valuable clothing, jewelry, and garlands.