Shloka 1
Aśvamedha-dīkṣā, Vyāsa’s horse-release, and Arjuna’s departure with Gāṇḍīva (आश्वमेधिक-दीक्षा तथा हय-उत्सर्गः)
व बछ। डिश द्विसप्ततितमो< ध्याय: व्यासजीकी आज्ञासे अश्वकी रक्षाके लिये अर्जुनकी, राज्य और नगरकी रक्षाके लिये भीमसेन और नकुलकी तथा कुटुम्ब-पालनके लिये सहदेवकी नियुक्ति वैशम्पायन उवाच एवमुक्तस्तु कृष्णेन धर्मपुत्रो युधिष्ठिर: । व्यासमामन्त्रय मेधावी ततो वचनमत्रवीत्,वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--जनमेजय! भगवान् श्रीकृष्णके ऐसा कहनेपर मेधावी धर्मपुत्र युधिष्ठिरने व्यासजीको सम्बोधित करके कहा--“भगवन्! जब आपको अअश्वमेध यज्ञ आरम्भ करनेका ठीक समय जान पड़े तभी आकर मुझे उसकी दीक्षा दें; क्योंकि मेरा यज्ञ आपके ही अधीन है”
Vaiśampāyana uvāca: evam uktas tu kṛṣṇena dharmaputro yudhiṣṭhiraḥ | vyāsam āmantya medhāvī tato vacanam abravīt ||
Vaiśampāyana said: When Kṛṣṇa had spoken thus, the wise Yudhiṣṭhira—the son of Dharma—addressed Vyāsa and then said: “Revered sir, when you judge the proper time to begin the Aśvamedha sacrifice, please come and confer the consecration upon me; for this sacrifice of mine depends entirely upon you.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even a sovereign king submits to dharma by seeking proper authorization and timing from a qualified spiritual authority (Vyāsa). The passage emphasizes humility, ritual correctness, and the ethical principle that power should be guided by wisdom and dharmic counsel.
After Kṛṣṇa’s counsel, Yudhiṣṭhira turns to Vyāsa and requests that Vyāsa himself determine the right moment to commence the Aśvamedha and to initiate him with the required consecration, acknowledging that the success and legitimacy of the rite depend on Vyāsa’s guidance.