Aśvamedha-saṃbhāra: Return of the Horse, Auspicious Timing, and Construction of the Yajña Enclosure
उपयाता नरव्याप्रा य एते पृथिवी श्वरा: । एतेषां क्रियतां पूजा पूजा हि नराधिपा:
upayātā naravyāprā ye ete pṛthivīśvarāḥ | eteṣāṃ kriyatāṃ pūjā pūjā hi narādhipāḥ ||
“Saudaraku, para raja ini—penguasa bumi—telah tiba di sini, sibuk dalam tugas manusia dan pemerintahan. Mereka layak dihormati di antara manusia; karena itu, berikanlah penghormatan dan jamuan yang patut kepada mereka, sebab memuliakan para raja dan tamu adalah perbuatan yang benar.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
The verse emphasizes dharma expressed as proper honor and hospitality: those who arrive—especially kings and eminent persons—should be received with fitting respect, because honoring worthy guests and leaders sustains social order and ethical conduct.
The narrator Vaiśampāyana notes that many kings have arrived and instructs that they should be duly welcomed and honored with appropriate ceremonial reception (pūjā/satkāra).