Ashvamedhika Parva Adhyaya 88 Shloka 31 - Mahabharata | French | Vedapath

Vyasa

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Shloka 31

राजपूजाविधानम् / Royal Reception Protocols during Āśvamedha Preparations

Devanagari script

इष्टका: काज्चनीश्षात्र चयनार्थ कृता5भवन्‌ | शुशुभे चयन तच्च दक्षस्थेव प्रजापते:

Transliteration

Vaiśampāyana uvāca |

iṣṭakāḥ kāñcanīś cātra cayanārthaṃ kṛtābhavan |

śuśubhe cayanaṃ tac ca dakṣasyeva prajāpateḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana dit : «Là, l’on fit préparer des briques d’or pour l’édification de l’autel. Et lorsque l’ouvrage fut achevé, la plate-forme sacrificielle resplendit d’un éclat comparable à celui du fameux autel du yajña de Prajāpati Dakṣa.»

Word by Word

इष्टकाःbricks

काञ्चनीःgolden

शात्रin/at the sacrificial enclosure (śātra)

चयनार्थम्for the purpose of piling/constructing (the altar)

कृताःmade, prepared

अभवन्were/occurred

शुशुभेshone, became splendid

चयनम्the piling/construction (of the altar)

तत्that

चand

दक्षस्थेवas if (it were) at Dakṣa

प्रजापतेःof Prajāpati

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Prajāpati Dakṣa

yajña-vedī (sacrificial altar/platform)

golden bricks (kāñcanī iṣṭakāḥ)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical and dharmic dimension of ritual: a yajña is not merely an act but a carefully ordered, sanctified undertaking. The use of proper materials and correct construction symbolizes reverence, legitimacy, and the intention to align royal action with sacred law.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the context of the Aśvamedha preparations, golden bricks are made to build the sacrificial altar. Once completed, the altar is described as shining like the renowned yajña-altar of Prajāpati Dakṣa, emphasizing the grandeur and ritual correctness of the ceremony.