Shloka 1166
Varṇa-dharma and Rājadharma: Yudhiṣṭhira’s Inquiry and Bhīṣma’s Normative Outline (वर्णधर्म-राजधर्म-प्रश्नोत्तरम्)
ऋषिभिशभ्ष प्रजापालैब्रह्णैश्वाभिषेचित: । भगवान् विष्णु, देवताओंसहित इन्द्र, ऋषिसमूह, प्रजापतिगण तथा ब्राह्मणोंने पृथुका राजाके पदपर अभिषेक किया
ṛṣibhiḥ prajāpālaiḥ brāhmaṇaiś cābhiṣecitaḥ | bhagavān viṣṇuḥ devatābhiḥ sahita indraḥ ṛṣisamūhaḥ prajāpati-gaṇāś ca brāhmaṇāś ca pṛthuṃ rājapade 'bhiṣiñcan |
ભીષ્મ બોલ્યા—ઋષિઓ, પ્રજાપાલકો અને બ્રાહ્મણોએ રાજાભિષેક કર્યો. દેવતાઓ સહિત ઇન્દ્ર, ઋષિસમૂહ, પ્રજાપતિગણ તથા બ્રાહ્મણોએ પૃથુને રાજપદે અભિષિક્ત કર્યો.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Kingship is not merely personal power but a dharmic office (rājapada) that gains legitimacy through the sanction of sages, brāhmaṇas, and the divine order; the ruler is thereby obligated to protect and uphold social and moral order.
Bhīṣma recounts the consecration of King Pṛthu: sages, Prajāpatis, brāhmaṇas, and the gods—together with Indra and supported by Viṣṇu—perform the abhiṣeka, installing Pṛthu as king.