Shloka 21

Aśvamedha-dīkṣā, Vyāsa’s horse-release, and Arjuna’s departure with Gāṇḍīva (आश्वमेधिक-दीक्षा तथा हय-उत्सर्गः)

Devanagari script

तत्‌ तु सर्व यथान्यायमुक्त: कुरुकुलोदह: । चकार फाल्गुनं चापि संदिदेश हयं प्रति,व्यासजीके इस प्रकार बतलानेपर कुरुकुलतिलक युधिष्ठिरने सारा कार्य उसी प्रकार यथोचित रीतिसे सम्पन्न किया और अर्जुनको बुलाकर घोड़ेकी रक्षाके लिये इस प्रकार आदेश दिया

Transliteration

tattu sarvaṃ yathānyāyam uktaḥ kurukulodvahaḥ | cakāra phālgunaṃ cāpi saṃdideśa hayaṃ prati ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Having been instructed in full according to what was proper, Yudhiṣṭhira—the foremost of the Kuru line—carried out everything in due and fitting manner. He then summoned Phālguna (Arjuna) and issued him instructions concerning the horse, appointing him to its protection as required for the Aśvamedha rite.

Word by Word

तत्that (act/thing)

तुbut/indeed

सर्वम्all (of it)

यथाas/according to

न्यायम्rule/propriety

उक्तःhaving been told/when told

कुरुकुलोद्वहःthe upholder/ornament of the Kuru line (Yudhiṣṭhira)

चकारdid/performed

फाल्गुनम्Phālguna (Arjuna)

चand

अपिalso

संदिदेशcommanded/instructed

हयम्the horse

प्रतिtowards/with regard to

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Yudhiṣṭhira

Kuru dynasty

Phālguna (Arjuna)

Aśvamedha horse

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse emphasizes yathā-nyāya—acting in accordance with what is proper and lawful. Even after war, royal action is framed by dharma and ritual order: the king fulfills prescribed duties carefully and delegates responsibility to a qualified protector.

What is happening in the narrative?

After receiving proper instructions (implicitly from elders/counsel), Yudhiṣṭhira completes the necessary arrangements and then calls Arjuna (Phālguna), assigning him the task of guarding and managing matters related to the sacrificial horse of the Aśvamedha.