Shloka 4
Subhadrā-vilāpaḥ — Subhadrā’s Lament for Abhimanyu
Droṇa-parva 55
कियन्त्यो दक्षिणा दत्ता: कैश्व दत्ता महात्मभि: । राजर्षिशि: पुण्यकृद्धिस्तद् भवान् प्रत्रवीतु मे,पूर्वालके किन-किन महामनस्वी पुण्यात्मा राजर्षियोंने यज्ञोंमें कितनी-कितनी दक्षिणाएँ दी थीं। यह सब आप मुझे बताइये
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca |
kiyantyo dakṣiṇā dattāḥ kaiś ca dattā mahātmabhiḥ |
rājarṣibhiḥ puṇyakṛdbhis tad bhavān prabravītu me |
pūrvāloke kin-kin mahāmanasvī puṇyātmā rājarṣayo yajñeṣu kīdr̥śīḥ dakṣiṇā adaduḥ ||
Yudhiṣṭhira dit : « Combien de dakṣiṇā (honoraires et dons du sacrifice) furent offerts, et par qui—par ces rājarṣis magnanimes, artisans de mérite ? Je t’en prie, dis-le-moi. Dans l’antiquité, quelles sortes de dakṣiṇā les rājarṣis vertueux et au cœur élevé accordaient-ils lors de leurs yajñas ? »
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds dharmic kingship through generosity: righteous rulers earn merit by completing sacrifices with proper dakṣiṇā, honoring learned officiants and sustaining the moral economy of society.
Yudhiṣṭhira respectfully questions an elder narrator about precedents from ancient times—specifically, which royal sages gave what kinds and quantities of sacrificial gifts—seeking guidance through exemplary tradition.