Shloka 8
Adhyāya 52 (Sabhā-parva): Vidura Invites Yudhiṣṭhira to Hastināpura for the Dice Match
इतना ही नहीं, वे सुन्दर काले रंगके चँवर तथा चन्द्रमाके समान श्वेत दूसरे चामर एवं हिमालयके पुष्पोंसे उत्पन्न हुआ स्वादिष्ट मधु भी प्रचुर मात्रामें लाये थे। उत्तरकुरुदेशसे गंगाजल और मालाके योग्य रत्न तथा उत्तर कैलाससे प्राप्त हुई अतीव बलसम्पन्न औषधियाँ एवं अन्य भेंटकी सामग्री साथ लेकर आये हुए पर्वतीय भूपालगण अजातशत्रु राजा युधिष्ठिरके द्वारपर रोके जाकर विनीतभावसे खड़े थे ।। ये परार्थे हिमवत: सूर्योदयगिरौ नृपा: । कारूषे च समुद्रान्ते लौहित्यमभितश्न ये,पिताजी! मैंने देखा कि जो राजा हिमालयके परार्धभागमें निवास करते हैं, जो उदयगिरिके निवासी हैं, जो समुद्र-तटवर्ती कारूषदेशमें रहते हैं तथा जो लौहित्यपर्वतके दोनों ओर वास करते हैं, फल और मूल ही जिनका भोजन है, वे चर्मवस्त्रधारी क्रूरतापूर्वक शस्त्र चलानेवाले और क्रूरकर्मा किरातनरेश भी वहाँ भेंट लेकर आये थे
etad eva na kevalam—te sundarāṇi kṛṣṇavarṇāṇi cāmarāṇi candramāḥ-sadṛśāni śvetāni anyāni cāmarāṇi ca, himālaya-puṣpa-sambhūtaṃ svādu madhu ca pracura-mātrāyāṃ ānītavantaḥ. uttarakuṛu-deśāt gaṅgā-jalaṃ mālā-yogya-ratnāni ca, uttara-kailāsāt prāptāḥ atīva-bala-sampannāḥ auṣadhayaḥ anyāni ca bheṭa-dravyāṇi gṛhītvā āgatāḥ parvatīyā bhūpālāḥ ajātaśatruṃ rājānaṃ yudhiṣṭhiram dvāri ruddhvā vinīta-bhāvena tiṣṭhanti. ye parārdhe himavataḥ sūryodaya-girau nṛpāḥ, kārūṣe ca samudrānte, lauhityam abhitaś ca ye—pitāḥ, mayā dṛṣṭāḥ; phala-mūla-bhojanāḥ, carma-vastra-dhāriṇaḥ, krūraṃ śastra-prayoga-kāriṇaḥ, krūra-karmāṇaḥ kirāta-nareśāḥ api tatra bheṭāṃ gṛhītvā āgatāḥ.
Duryodhana reported to his father: “Not only that: they brought splendid dark yak-tail fans and other fans white as the moon, and abundant, delicious honey said to come from Himalayan flowers. From Uttarakuru they carried sacred Ganga water and gems fit for garlands; from the northern Kailasa region they brought potent medicinal herbs and many other gifts. Mountain rulers, halted at the door of King Yudhishthira—Ajatashatru—stood there with humility. And, Father, I myself saw rulers dwelling in the farther reaches of the Himalayas, on the Sunrise Mountain (Udayagiri), in Karusha by the sea, and on both sides of the Lauhitya range; even Kirata chieftains—living on fruits and roots, clad in skins, fierce in weapon-use and harsh in deeds—had come there bearing tribute.”
दुर्योधन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage contrasts rightful honor given to a dharmic ruler with the inner moral danger of envy: public prosperity and universal homage can either reinforce righteous kingship or, when misread through jealousy, become the seed of adharma and familial ruin.
Duryodhana describes the vast array of tribute brought to Yudhishthira’s court—luxury items, sacred water, gems, medicines—and notes that even remote mountain and forest rulers (including Kiratas) arrived with gifts, standing humbly at Yudhishthira’s door.