Shloka 2
Aśvamedha-dīkṣā, Vyāsa’s horse-release, and Arjuna’s departure with Gāṇḍīva (आश्वमेधिक-दीक्षा तथा हय-उत्सर्गः)
यदा कालं भवान् वेत्ति हयमेधस्य तत्त्वतः । दीक्षयस्व तदा मां त्व॑ त्वय्यायत्तो हि मे क्रतुः
yadā kālaṁ bhavān vetti hayamedhasya tattvataḥ | dīkṣayasva tadā māṁ tvaṁ tvayy āyatto hi me kratuḥ ||
Yudhiṣṭhira, el justo hijo de Dharma, tras el consejo de Kṛṣṇa, se dirigió a Vyāsa: «Venerable señor, cuando en verdad discernáis el momento propicio para el Aśvamedha, venid entonces e iniciadme en él con la dīkṣā. Pues este sacrificio mío depende enteramente de vos».
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even a righteous goal (a royal sacrifice to re-establish order) should be pursued only with proper discernment of time and under the guidance of wisdom. Yudhiṣṭhira models ethical self-restraint and deference to dharma by making the rite contingent on Vyāsa’s judgment.
After Kṛṣṇa’s advice, Yudhiṣṭhira turns to Vyāsa and requests that Vyāsa initiate him for the Aśvamedha precisely when Vyāsa determines the correct time, acknowledging that the success and propriety of the sacrifice depend on Vyāsa.