Shloka 4
शकुनेः पुत्रेण सह आश्वमेधाश्वविषयः संघर्षः — Arjuna’s restrained engagement with Śakuni’s son during the horse-escort
एतस्मिन्नेव काले तु द्वादशीं माघमासिकीम् । इष्टं गृहीत्वा नक्षत्र धर्मराजो युधिष्ठिर:
etasmīn eva kāle tu dvādaśīṁ māghamāsikīm | iṣṭaṁ gṛhītvā nakṣatraṁ dharmarājo yudhiṣṭhiraḥ, kurunandana |
Vaiśampāyana said: At that very time, it was the twelfth lunar day (Dvādaśī) in the bright fortnight of the month of Māgha. Having obtained the auspicious conjunction of the Puṣya constellation, King Yudhiṣṭhira—righteous ruler and pride of the Kurus—recognized the proper moment and prepared to act in accordance with dharma, choosing a time sanctified by celestial signs for the duty that lay ahead.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights dharmic kingship expressed through attentiveness to right timing (kāla) and auspicious conditions (nakṣatra). Ethical action is not merely about intent but also about performing duties in a manner aligned with sacred order and communal norms.
The narrator Vaiśampāyana marks the time: the bright-fortnight Dvādaśī in Māgha, with a favorable nakṣatra. Yudhiṣṭhira recognizes this auspicious moment as he prepares for the next step in the unfolding events of the Ashvamedhika Parva.