Shloka 22
Śiśupāla’s Protest Against the Arghya to Kṛṣṇa (शिशुपाल-आक्षेपः)
सुखारोहणसोपानान् महासनपरिच्छदान् । स्रग्दामसमवच्छन्नानुत्तमागुरुगन्धिन:
sukhārohaṇa-sopānān mahāsana-paricchadān | sragdāma-samavacchannān uttamāguru-gandhinaḥ ||
Waiśampāyana berkata—di sana ada tangga-tangga yang dibuat agar orang dapat naik dengan nyaman. Di dalam istana-istana itu terdapat singgasana besar yang indah dan mahal, beserta perlengkapan yang diperlukan. Rumah-rumah dihias rangkaian bunga dan untaian, dan keharuman agaru yang terbaik meresap ke segala penjuru.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse primarily functions as courtly description (varṇana), highlighting the opulence and refined comfort of royal dwellings. Ethically, it can be read as a reminder that material magnificence—comfort, adornment, fragrance—forms the backdrop of power and can intensify attachment and pride, themes that later drive conflict in the Sabha narrative.
Vaiśampāyana is describing the luxurious residences/palatial interiors: easy stairways, grand seats and furnishings, floral decorations, and the pervasive scent of premium agaru, setting the scene of extraordinary prosperity in the Sabha Parva context.