Shloka 9
अर्हणनिर्णयः
Decision on the Highest Honor at the Assembly
न तस्यां संनिधौ शूद्र: कश्चिदासीज्न चाव्रती । अन्तर्वेद्यां तदा राजन् युधिष्ठिरनिवेशने,राजन् युधिष्ठिरकी यज्ञशालाके भीतर उस अन्तर्वेदीके आस-पास उस समय न तो कोई शूद्र था और न व्रतहीन द्विज ही
na tasyāṃ saṃnidhau śūdraḥ kaścid āsīt na cāvratī | antarvedyāṃ tadā rājan yudhiṣṭhira-niveśane ||
Vaiśampāyana said: O King, at that time, within the inner sacrificial enclosure in Yudhiṣṭhira’s ritual hall, there was no Śūdra present nearby, nor any twice-born man who was without the prescribed vows.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the idea that a consecrated ritual space is governed by strict observances: only those qualified by prescribed vows and ritual discipline may enter or remain near the inner enclosure. It reflects the Mahābhārata’s concern with dharma as enacted through orderly conduct, especially in sacrificial contexts.
The narrator describes the arrangement and sanctity of Yudhiṣṭhira’s sacrificial setting, stating that within the inner precinct there were no Śūdras present and no vowless twice-born persons—emphasizing controlled access and ritual propriety during the ceremony.