Shloka 16
Dyūta-āhvāna: Śakuni’s Proposal, Vidura’s Warning, and the Summons of Yudhiṣṭhira
Sabhā-parva 51
अश्मसारमयं भाण्डं शुद्धदन्तत्सरूनसीन् । प्राग्ज्योतिषाधिपो दत्त्वा भगदत्तो5व्रजत् तदा
aśmasāramayaṁ bhāṇḍaṁ śuddhadantatsarūnasīn | prāgjyotiṣādhipo dattvā bhagadatto ’vrajat tadā ||
तब प्राग्ज्योतिष के अधिपति भगदत्त ने कठोर पत्थर का बना पात्र और विशुद्ध हाथीदाँत की मूँठ वाले खड्ग भेंट किए; उन्हें देकर वह भीतर गया (और अपना कर्तव्य निवृत्त कर) लौट आया।
दुर्योधन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how royal gifts function as instruments of political relationship and reputation: offerings in an assembly are not merely material, but public signals of loyalty, power, and standing within a dharma-governed court.
In the Kuru assembly, Duryodhana recounts the gifts brought by Bhagadatta, ruler of Prāgjyotiṣa—an exceptionally hard stone vessel and swords with pure-ivory hilts—after which Bhagadatta departs, completing his formal presentation.