Adhyāya 33: Antarvedī-Samāgama, Arghya-Nirṇaya, and Śiśupāla’s Objection
भ्रातृभिज्ञातिभिश्वैव सुहृद्धिः सचिवै: सह । क्षत्रियैश्व मनुष्येन्द्रैननादेशसमागतै:
bhrātṛbhir jñātibhiś caiva suhṛdbhiḥ sacivaiḥ saha | kṣatriyaiś ca manuṣyendrair nanādeśa-samāgataiḥ ||
Along with his brothers and kinsmen, and also with trusted friends and ministers, and with kṣatriya lords—kings of men—who had assembled from many different regions, he was attended and surrounded.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
The verse highlights that royal decisions and events occur within a web of relationships—family, allies, and ministers—so dharma in governance is inherently public and relational: loyalty, counsel, and responsibility are shared and scrutinized by the wider polity.
Vaiśampāyana describes a scene in which a principal figure is accompanied by brothers, relatives, friends, ministers, and numerous kṣatriya kings who have gathered from many regions—signaling a major courtly or political occasion with broad attendance.