Shloka 253
Kubera’s Fivefold Nīti and Protection of the Pāṇḍavas (वैश्रवणोपदेशः)
न्यदधुः पाण्डवा राजजन्नाश्रमे वृषपर्वण: । अपने साथ आये हुए ब्राह्मणोंको उन्होंने एक-एक करके वृषपर्वाके यहाँ धरोहरकी भाँति सौंपा। उन सबका पाण्डवोंने समय-समयपर सगे बन्धुकी भाँति सत्कार किया था। ब्राह्मणोंको सौंपनेके पश्चात् पाण्डवोंने अपनी शेष सामग्री भी उन्हीं महामनाको दे दी। तदनन्तर पाण्डुपुत्रोंने वृषपर्वाके ही आश्रममें अपने यज्ञपात्र तथा रत्नमय आभूषण भी रख दिये
vaiśampāyana uvāca | nyadadhuḥ pāṇḍavā rājann āśrame vṛṣaparvaṇaḥ | āgatān brāhmaṇān svān te ekaikaṃ vṛṣaparvaṇe nidhivat samarpayan | teṣāṃ ca pāṇḍavaiḥ kāle kāle sagabandhuvad arcā kṛtā | brāhmaṇān samarpya pāṇḍavāḥ śeṣaṃ dravyaṃ tadā mahātmane tasmai dadur api | tataḥ pāṇḍuputrā vṛṣaparvaṇy eva āśrame yājñikapātrāṇi ratnamayāni cābharaṇāni nyadhur iti ||
Vaiśampāyana berkata: Wahai Raja, para Pāṇḍava menetap di pertapaan Vṛṣaparvan. Para brāhmaṇa yang datang bersama mereka diserahkan satu per satu kepada Vṛṣaparvan, laksana menitipkan amanat yang berharga. Pada waktu-waktu yang patut, para Pāṇḍava telah memuliakan mereka seperti sanak keluarga sendiri. Setelah menyerahkan para brāhmaṇa itu, para Pāṇḍava pun memberikan sisa perbekalan mereka kepada sang mahatma. Kemudian, putra-putra Pāṇḍu menaruh di pertapaan Vṛṣaparvan juga bejana-bejana yajña serta perhiasan mereka yang bertatahkan permata.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights dharma through responsible guardianship: the Pāṇḍavas treat accompanying Brāhmaṇas as a sacred trust, honor them like family, and relinquish personal resources for their welfare—modeling ethical stewardship and self-restraint.
The Pāṇḍavas arrive at Vṛṣaparvan’s hermitage, formally entrust the Brāhmaṇas who came with them to his care, give him their remaining supplies, and even deposit their ritual implements and jeweled ornaments there for safekeeping.