Shloka 3
हरिश्नन्द्रे च राजर्षि रोचमानं विशेषत: । यज्वानं यज्ञमाहर्तु राजसूयमियेष स:,राजसूययज्ञ करनेवाले महात्मा राजर्षियोंकी वैसी महिमा सुनकर तथा पुण्यकर्मोंद्वारा उत्तम लोकोंकी प्राप्ति होती देखकर एवं यज्ञ करनेवाले राजर्षि हरिश्वन्द्रका महान् तेज (तथा विशेष वैभव एवं आदर-सत्कार) सुनकर उनके मनमें राजसूययज्ञ करनेकी इच्छा हुई
hariścandre ca rājarṣi rocamānaṃ viśeṣataḥ | yajvānaṃ yajñam āhartum rājasūyam iyeṣa saḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana said: Hearing in particular of the radiant glory of the royal sage Hariścandra—how a sacrificer, by holy rites, attains exalted worlds—and learning of his great splendor and the honor he received as a performer of sacrifice, he conceived the desire to undertake the Rājasūya, the royal consecration-sacrifice.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse links righteous ritual action (yajña) and the fame of dharmic kingship with the aspiration for higher status: hearing that sacrificial merit leads to exalted worlds and public honor, a ruler becomes motivated to pursue the Rājasūya. Ethically, it highlights how exemplars of dharma (like Hariścandra) inspire others toward sanctioned, duty-bound ambition rather than mere conquest.
Vaiśampāyana reports that, after hearing of Hariścandra’s exceptional radiance and prestige as a sacrificer—and the belief that such rites yield superior heavenly attainments—the (unnamed in this pāda) king develops the intention to perform the Rājasūya sacrifice.