Shloka 5
अध्याय ४६ — सभाप्रवेशः तथा सञ्जयस्य दूतवृत्तान्तः
Entry into the Royal Assembly and Sañjaya’s Envoy Report
रुचिरैरासनैस्तीर्णा काञ्चनैर्दारवैरपि । अश्मसारमयैदन्ति: स्वास्तीर्णै: सोत्तरच्छदै:,उस राजसभामें सुवर्ण, काष्ठ, मणि तथा हाथीदाँतके बने हुए सुन्दर-सुन्दर आसन सुरुचिपूर्ण ढंगसे बिछे हुए थे और उनके ऊपर चादरें फैला दी गयी थीं
rucirair āsanais tīrṇā kāñcanair dāravair api | aśmasāramayair dantibhiḥ svāstīrṇaiḥ sottaracchadaiḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana said: The royal assembly hall was elegantly furnished—spread with beautiful seats made of gold and wood, as well as of hard stone-like material and ivory; and over those well-laid seats, coverings and upper cloths had been carefully draped, displaying the court’s splendor and order.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ordered splendor of a royal court: material prosperity is presented as a sign of political power and disciplined arrangement. In the Mahābhārata’s ethical frame, such grandeur often forms the backdrop for weighty deliberations on dharma—reminding readers that external magnificence does not guarantee righteous counsel, but it sets the stage where responsibility and decision-making must match the kingdom’s stature.
Vaiśampāyana is describing the setting of a royal assembly hall. The hall is prepared with attractive seats made from precious and fine materials—gold, wood, hard stone-like substance, and ivory—neatly arranged and covered with cloths, indicating a formal gathering and an atmosphere of courtly ceremony.