Shloka 12
Dhaumya-varaṇa (Appointment of Dhaumya as Purohita) | धौम्यवरणम्
स हि तान् याजयामास सर्वान् नृपतिसत्तमान् | ब्रद्मर्षि: पाण्डवश्रेष्ठ बृहस्पतिरिवामरान्,पाण्डवश्रेष्ठ! जैसे बृहस्पतिजी सम्पूर्ण देवताओंका यज्ञ कराते हैं, उसी प्रकार ब्रह्मर्षि वसिष्ठने उन सम्पूर्ण श्रेष्ठ राजाओंका यज्ञ कराया था
sa hi tān yājayāmāsa sarvān nṛpatisattamān | brahmarṣiḥ pāṇḍavaśreṣṭha bṛhaspatir ivāmarān ||
For that Brahmarṣi had indeed caused all those foremost kings to perform their sacrificial rites—O best of the Pāṇḍavas—just as Bṛhaspati, priest of the gods, conducts the sacrifices of all the immortals. The verse underscores the ideal of righteous kingship supported by a pure and authoritative priesthood, where royal power is harmonized with Vedic order through properly guided yajña.
गन्धर्व उवाच
Educational Q&A
Legitimate royal authority is strengthened when aligned with Vedic dharma: kings uphold order and generosity, while a qualified Brahmarṣi ensures rituals are performed correctly. The comparison to Bṛhaspati highlights the ideal standard of priestly guidance—impartial, authoritative, and oriented toward the welfare of the whole polity.
A Gandharva describes how a supreme sage (understood here as Vasiṣṭha) officiated sacrifices for many eminent kings, just as Bṛhaspati conducts sacrifices for the gods. The statement elevates the sage’s stature and frames the kings’ rites as part of a broader cosmic and ethical order.