Shloka 130
अध्याय ७४: अक्रोध–क्षमा–निवासनीति
Chapter 74: Non-anger, Forbearance, and the Ethics of Residence
याजयामास तं कण्वो विधिवद् भूरिदक्षिणम् । श्रीमान् गोविततं नाम वाजिमेधमवाप स: । यस्मिन् सहस्नं पद्मानां कण्वाय भरतो ददौ,महर्षि कण्वने आचार्य होकर भरतसे प्रचुर दक्षिणाओंसे युक्त 'गोवितत” नामक अश्वमेध यज्ञका विधिपूर्वक अनुष्ठान करवाया। श्रीमान् भरतने उस यज्ञका पूरा फल प्राप्त किया। उसमें महाराज भरतने आचार्य कण्वको एक सहस्र पद्म स्वर्णमुद्राएँ दक्षिणारूपमें दीं
yājayāmāsa taṃ kaṇvo vidhivad bhūridakṣiṇam | śrīmān govitataṃ nāma vājimedham avāpa saḥ | yasmin sahasraṃ padmānāṃ kaṇvāya bharato dadau |
Vaiśampāyana said: The sage Kaṇva, following the prescribed rites, had Bharata perform the Aśvamedha sacrifice called Govitata, richly endowed with gifts. The illustrious Bharata obtained the full merit of that sacrifice; and in it he presented Kaṇva with a thousand padmas of gold coins as the priestly fee. The passage underscores the ethical ideal that royal power is to be exercised under dharma—through properly conducted ritual and generous, respectful recompense to the officiating teacher-priest.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Kingship is to be aligned with dharma: major rites must be performed vidhivat (according to rule) under a qualified ācārya, and the priest-teacher must be honored through ample dakṣiṇā. Legitimate sovereignty is shown not merely by power but by disciplined ritual conduct and generosity.
Vaiśampāyana narrates that the sage Kaṇva served as officiant and had King Bharata perform an Aśvamedha named Govitata. Bharata gained the full sacrificial fruit and, as dakṣiṇā, gave Kaṇva a thousand padmas of gold.