Shloka 8
पाण्डव-वृष्णि-समागमः तथा अश्वमेध-अनुज्ञा | Reunion at the Kuru Court and Authorization of the Aśvamedha
सूतमागधसंघाश्षाप्यस्तुवंस्तं जनार्दनम् । कुरुवंशस्तवाख्याभिराशीर्भिर्भिरतर्षभ,भरतश्रेष्ठ] तदनन्तर मल्ल, नट, ज्यौतिषी, सुखका समाचार पूछनेवाले सेवक तथा सूतों और मागधोंके समुदाय कुरुवंशकी स्तुति और आशीर्वादके साथ भगवान् श्रीकृष्णका गुणगान करने लगे
vaiśampāyana uvāca |
sūtamāgadhasaṅghāś cāpy astuvaṁs taṁ janārdanam |
kuravaṁśa-stavākhyābhir āśīrbhir bharatarṣabha bharataśreṣṭha ||
Vaiśampāyana said: Then the assembled bards—sūtas and māgadhas—began to praise Janārdana (Śrī Kṛṣṇa). With eulogies celebrating the Kuru lineage and with blessings, they sang his virtues, O bull among the Bharatas, O best of the Bharatas. The scene underscores how public speech and ritual praise are used to affirm rightful lineage, social order, and devotion to the divine protector of dharma.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the dharmic role of praise (stava) and blessing (āśīḥ) in sustaining social order: bards publicly affirm the legitimacy of the Kuru line and direct devotion toward Janārdana, presenting righteous kingship as supported by both lineage and divine guidance.
After the preceding events, an assembly of professional panegyrists—sūtas and māgadhas—begins to sing and proclaim praises of Śrī Kṛṣṇa (Janārdana), coupling their hymn with benedictions and laudatory references to the Kuru dynasty, while the narrator addresses the listener as ‘bharatarṣabha/bharataśreṣṭha’.