Shloka 4
Traigarta Attempt to Seize the Aśvamedha Horse; Arjuna’s Restraint and Tactical Victory
स राजा धर्मराड् राजन् दीक्षितो विबभौ तदा | हेममाली रुक्मकण्ठ: प्रदीप्त इव पावक:
sa rājā dharmarāḍ rājan dīkṣito vibabhau tadā | hemamālī rukmakaṇṭhaḥ pradīpta iva pāvakaḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana dit : Ô roi, en ce temps-là, Dharma-rāja Yudhiṣṭhira, consacré pour le sacrifice, resplendissait—portant une guirlande d’or et un ornement d’or au cou—tel un feu flamboyant. Le vers souligne l’idéal éthique selon lequel l’éclat d’un souverain s’enracine dans le dharma et la discipline rituelle, non dans la puissance seule.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
A king’s true brilliance is tied to dharma and self-discipline: the consecration (dīkṣā) symbolizes restraint, purity, and responsibility, making royal splendour an outward sign of inner ethical order.
As the Aśvamedha preparations proceed, Yudhiṣṭhira undergoes ritual consecration and is described as radiant, adorned with gold ornaments, shining like a blazing fire—marking the solemn commencement of the sacrificial rite.