Shloka 17
Bhīṣma’s Admonition; Duryodhana’s Rājasūya Aspiration and the Proposal of a Vaiṣṇava-satra
(विद्वद्धिः सहितो धीमान् ब्राह्मुणैर्वनवासिभि: ।) कृत्वा निवेशमभित: सरसस्तस्य कौरव । द्रौपद्या सहितो धीमान् धर्मपत्न्या नराधिप:,उसी सरोवरके तटपर वज्रधारी इन्द्रके समान उत्तम ऐश्वर्यसे सम्पन्न बुद्धिमान धर्मपुत्र राजा युधिष्ठिर अपनी धर्मपत्नी महारानी द्रौपदीके साथ साद्यस्क (एक दिनमें पूर्ण होनेवाले) राजर्षियज्ञका अनुष्ठान कर रहे थे। कुरुश्रेष्ठ जनमेजय! उस यज्ञमें उनके साथ बहुत-से वनवासी दिद्दान् ब्राह्मण भी थे। राजा वनमें सुलभ होनेवाली सामग्रीद्वारा दिव्य विधिसे यज्ञ कर रहे थे। वे उसी सरोवरके आस-पास कुटी बनाकर रहते थे
vaiśampāyana uvāca | (vidvadbhiḥ sahito dhīmān brāhmaṇair vanavāsibhiḥ |) kṛtvā niveśam abhitaḥ sarasas tasya kaurava | draupadyā sahito dhīmān dharmapatnyā narādhipaḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana said: O Kaurava, the wise king—accompanied by learned forest-dwelling brāhmaṇas—made his encampment all around that lake. That prudent lord of men, together with Draupadī, his lawful wife, was residing there.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even in hardship and exile, a ruler’s steadiness in dharma is sustained through wise counsel, lawful family bonds, and respectful association with learned brāhmaṇas; righteous living is shown as a practical discipline, not merely a royal privilege.
Vaiśampāyana tells Janamejaya that the wise king (Yudhiṣṭhira, in context) set up a camp around a lake and lived there with Draupadī and many learned forest-dwelling brāhmaṇas, establishing a settled base during the Pāṇḍavas’ forest exile.