Yudhiṣṭhira’s Post-Accession Settlements and Approach to Vāsudeva (युधिष्ठिरस्य राज्यस्थापनं वासुदेवाभिगमनं च)
जाज्वल्यमानं वपुषा दिव्याभरणभूषितम् । पीतकौशेयवसन हेम्नेवोपगतं मणिम्
Vaiśampāyana uvāca: jājyamānaṃ vapuṣā divyābharaṇabhūṣitam | pītakauśeyavasanaṃ hemnevopagataṃ maṇim ||
Vaiśampāyana said: They beheld him—his body blazing with divine radiance, adorned with celestial ornaments, clothed in yellow silk—like a sapphire set in gold. The scene emphasizes not mere splendor but the moral authority and auspicious presence of Kṛṣṇa, whose luminous form steadies the mind toward dharma amid the aftermath of war.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
The verse uses sacred imagery to convey moral authority: Kṛṣṇa’s radiant, ornamented form symbolizes auspiciousness and the stabilizing power of dharma. In Śānti Parva’s context of grief and ethical rebuilding after war, such a vision points the listener from turmoil toward righteous order and inner steadiness.
Vaiśampāyana narrates a sighting/encounter in which Kṛṣṇa is seen seated in splendor, shining with divine brilliance, wearing yellow silk and adorned with ornaments. The simile ‘like a gem set in gold’ highlights the striking contrast and beauty of his dark-hued form against golden adornment.