Shloka 21
Aśvamedha-dīkṣā, Vyāsa’s horse-release, and Arjuna’s departure with Gāṇḍīva (आश्वमेधिक-दीक्षा तथा हय-उत्सर्गः)
तत् तु सर्व यथान्यायमुक्त: कुरुकुलोदह: । चकार फाल्गुनं चापि संदिदेश हयं प्रति
tattu sarvaṃ yathānyāyam uktaḥ kurukulodvahaḥ | cakāra phālgunaṃ cāpi saṃdideśa hayaṃ prati ||
वैशम्पायन बोले—इस प्रकार यथोचित उपदेश पाकर कुरुकुल-तिलक युधिष्ठिर ने सब कार्य न्यायानुसार सम्पन्न किया। फिर उन्होंने फाल्गुन (अर्जुन) को बुलाकर अश्व के विषय में—उसकी रक्षा हेतु—आदेश दिया।
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse emphasizes yathā-nyāya—acting in accordance with what is proper and lawful. Even after war, royal action is framed by dharma and ritual order: the king fulfills prescribed duties carefully and delegates responsibility to a qualified protector.
After receiving proper instructions (implicitly from elders/counsel), Yudhiṣṭhira completes the necessary arrangements and then calls Arjuna (Phālguna), assigning him the task of guarding and managing matters related to the sacrificial horse of the Aśvamedha.