अध्याय १: महाप्रस्थानारम्भः
The Commencement of the Great Departure
शिष्यं परिक्षितं तस्मै ददौ भरतसत्तम: । तत्पश्चात् गुरुवर कृपाचार्यकी पूजा करके पुरवासियों-सहित परीक्षितको शिष्यभावसे उनकी सेवामें सौंप दिया ।। ततस्तु प्रकृती: सर्वा: समानाय्य युधिष्ठिर:
śiṣyaṃ parīkṣitaṃ tasmai dadau bharatasattamaḥ | tatpaścāt guruvare kṛpācāryakī pūjā kṛtvā puravāsibhiḥ saha parīkṣitaṃ śiṣyabhāvena tasya sevāyāṃ samarpya dadau || tatastu prakṛtīḥ sarvāḥ samānāyya yudhiṣṭhiraḥ |
Vaiśampāyana berkata: Sang terbaik di antara Bharata menyerahkan Parīkṣit kepadanya sebagai murid. Sesudah itu, setelah menghormati guru utama Kṛpācārya menurut tata cara, ia menyerahkan Parīkṣit—bersama para warga kota—agar sang pangeran melayani di bawah bimbingannya dalam semangat kesiswaan. Lalu Yudhiṣṭhira mulai memanggil dan menghimpun seluruh unsur utama kerajaan.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Right succession is not merely a transfer of power but a transfer of discipline: the heir is placed under a qualified guru, and the king publicly honors the teacher, affirming that learning, restraint, and service are foundations of dharma and stable governance.
Yudhiṣṭhira entrusts the young Parīkṣit to Kṛpācārya as a disciple, ensuring his training and guidance. After honoring Kṛpa, he formally places Parīkṣit under the teacher’s care (with the citizens as witnesses/participants), and then begins the administrative step of summoning the realm’s key constituents (prakṛtayaḥ).