Shloka 25
अर्जुनदुःखहेतुप्रश्नः — Inquiry into the cause of Arjuna’s recurring hardship
Book 14, Chapter 89
तोरणानि च यूपांश्व घटान् पात्रीस्तथेष्टका: । युधिष्टिरा भ्यनुज्ञाता: सर्व तद् व्यभजन् द्विजा:,यज्ञशालामें भी जो कुछ सुवर्ण या सोनेके आभूषण, तोरण, यूप, घड़े, बर्तन और इंटें थीं, उन सबको भी युधिष्ठिरकी आज्ञा लेकर ब्राह्मणोंने आपसमें बाँट लिया
toraṇāni ca yūpāṃś ca ghaṭān pātrīs tathā iṣṭakāḥ | yudhiṣṭhirābhyanujñātāḥ sarva tad vyabhajan dvijāḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana said: With Yudhiṣṭhira’s permission, the Brahmins apportioned among themselves everything there—festal arches, sacrificial posts, jars, vessels, and even the bricks—whatever remained in the sacrificial hall. The scene underscores the king’s dutiful sanctioning of gifts and the orderly distribution of ritual wealth after the rite, reflecting generosity governed by propriety rather than personal hoarding.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Ritual wealth and materials are to be handled through dharma: the king authorizes giving, and the officiants/recipients distribute what is due in an orderly way. The emphasis is on sanctioned generosity and proper completion of the sacrifice, not on retaining sacred resources for personal gain.
After the Aśvamedha rite, the remaining valuable and ritual items in the sacrificial hall—decorations, posts, containers, and bricks—are divided among the Brahmins, but only after Yudhiṣṭhira grants permission.