Shloka 124
Adhyāya 125: Raṅga-pradarśana — Arjuna’s Entry and Astric Demonstration (रङ्गप्रदर्शनम्)
(ततः पुरोहित: स्नात्वा प्रेतकर्मणि पारग: । हिरण्यशकलान्याज्यं तिलान् दधि च तण्डुलान् ।।
tataḥ purohitaḥ snātvā pretakarmaṇi pāragāḥ | hiraṇyaśakalāny ājyaṃ tilān dadhi ca taṇḍulān || udakumbhaṃ saparaśuṃ samānīya tapassvibhiḥ | aśvamedhāgnim āhṛtya yathānyāyaṃ samantataḥ || kāśyapaḥ kārayāmāsa pāṇḍoḥ pretasya tāṃ kriyām || ahatāmbarasaṃvīto bhrātṛbhiḥ sahito 'naghaḥ | udakaṃ kṛtavāṃs tatra purohitamate sthitaḥ || arhatas tasya kṛtyāni śataśṛṅganivāsinaḥ | tāpasā vidhivac cakruś cāraṇā ṛṣibhiḥ saha ||
Kemudian Kāśyapa, sang purohita yang mahir dalam upacara bagi arwah, setelah mandi suci, mengumpulkan kepingan emas, ghee, wijen, dadih, dan beras, juga kendi berisi air serta kapak. Dengan bantuan para pertapa ia mendatangkan api suci Aśvamedha, menata segala sesuatu sesuai aturan di sekeliling, lalu menyelenggarakan upacara kremasi bagi Pāṇḍu yang telah wafat. Sesudah itu Yudhiṣṭhira yang tanpa cela, bersama saudara-saudaranya dan mengenakan pakaian baru, mempersembahkan tirta (udaka) menurut titah sang purohita. Para pertapa penghuni Śataśṛṅga, bersama para Cāraṇa dan para Ṛṣi, menuntaskan dengan tata cara yang semestinya seluruh kewajiban pascakematian bagi raja yang patut dihormati itu.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Dharma is shown as disciplined responsibility in times of loss: the living honor the dead through prescribed rites, guided by learned authority (the purohita) and supported by community witnesses (ascetics, ṛṣis, and Cāraṇas). Ethical conduct here is not abstract—it is enacted through correct, respectful ritual action and filial duty.
After Pāṇḍu’s death, the priest Kāśyapa prepares the required ritual substances and brings a sacred fire associated with the Aśvamedha. He conducts Pāṇḍu’s funerary rites according to rule. Yudhiṣṭhira, wearing fresh garments and accompanied by his brothers, performs the water-oblation as instructed. Ascetics of Śataśṛṅga, together with ṛṣis and Cāraṇas, complete the remaining posthumous rites.