Shloka 38
अध्याय ८ — शल्यस्य सत्कारः, वरदानं, पाण्डवसमागमश्च (Śalya’s Reception, the Boon, and Meeting the Pāṇḍavas)
दिष्ट्या पश्यामि राजेन्द्र धर्मात्मानं सहानुगम् । निस्तीर्ण दुष्करं राजंस्त्वां धर्मनिचयं प्रभो,राजेन्द्र! तुम धर्मात्मा एवं धर्मकी निधि हो। राजन! तुमने भाइयोंसहित अपनी दुष्कर प्रतिज्ञा पूरी कर ली है और इस अवस्थामें मैं तुम्हें देख रहा हूँ; यह मेरा अहोभाग्य है!
diṣṭyā paśyāmi rājendra dharmātmānaṃ sahānugam | nistīrṇaṃ duṣkaraṃ rājan tvāṃ dharmanidhayaṃ prabho ||
By good fortune I behold you, O best of kings—righteous in spirit and accompanied by your followers. You have crossed what was difficult to cross; O king, O lord, you are a very treasury of dharma. To see you now, after you have fulfilled that arduous vow together with your brothers, is indeed my blessing.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse upholds dharma as a king’s defining wealth: true royal excellence is measured by righteous character and the successful completion of difficult vows or duties, especially when done responsibly with one’s companions.
Vaiśampāyana addresses a king with reverence, expressing joy at seeing him safely after he has completed a hard undertaking (described as ‘crossing the difficult’), praising him as dharmātmā and a repository of dharma, accompanied by his followers.