Shloka 17
अश्वमेध-उपदेशः तथा मरुत्त-यज्ञ-धन-प्रसङ्गः
Counsel on Aśvamedha and the Marutta-treasure episode
पृथिवी दक्षिणा चात्र विधि: प्रथमकल्पित: । विद्वद्धिः परिदृष्टोड्यं शिष्टो विधिविपर्यय:,अश्वमेध यज्ञमें समूची पृथ्वीकी दक्षिणा देनी चाहिये। यही विद्वानोंने मुख्य कल्प माना है। इसके सिवा जो कुछ किया जाता है, वह विधिके विपरीत है
pṛthivī dakṣiṇā cātra vidhiḥ prathamakalpitaḥ | vidvadbhiḥ paridṛṣṭo 'yaṃ śiṣṭo vidhiviparyayaḥ ||
Yudhiṣṭhira said: “In this rite, the proper sacrificial fee is the earth itself; this is the foremost arrangement laid down by rule. The learned have recognized this as the correct and authoritative procedure—whatever is done otherwise is a reversal of the prescribed ordinance.”
युधिषछ्िर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse stresses fidelity to śāstric injunction and learned tradition: in an Aśvamedha, the highest and properly prescribed dakṣiṇā is the gift of the earth/kingdom itself; substituting lesser arrangements is portrayed as a deviation from the intended rule.
Yudhiṣṭhira is discussing the correct procedure for the Aśvamedha sacrifice, specifically what should be given as dakṣiṇā. He asserts that authoritative experts regard gifting the entire earth as the primary, proper standard, and that alternative practices are contrary to the prescribed method.