Shloka 8

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

Devanagari script

सम्भाराश्रैव राजेन्द्र सर्वे संकल्पिता5भवन्‌ | स सम्भारान्‌ समाहृत्य नृपो धर्मसुतस्तदा

Transliteration

sambhārāś caiva rājendra sarve saṅkalpitābhavan | sa sambhārān samāhṛtya nṛpo dharmasutas tadā ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “O best of kings, all the required preparations were duly resolved upon and arranged. Then that king, Dharma’s son (Yudhiṣṭhira), having gathered the necessary materials, proceeded accordingly.”

Word by Word

सम्भाराःpreparations, supplies

एवindeed, just

राजेन्द्रO king of kings

सर्वेall

संकल्पिताःarranged, made ready

अभवन्were, became

सःhe

सम्भारान्preparations, supplies

समाहृत्यhaving collected, having brought together

नृपःthe king

धर्मसुतःson of Dharma (Yudhiṣṭhira)

तदाthen

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Yudhiṣṭhira (Dharmasuta)

sambhārāḥ (ritual/ceremonial requisites)

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 highlights dharmic leadership: a righteous king acts through clear resolve (saṅkalpa) and careful preparation (sambhāra-saṅgraha), showing that ethical action is supported by disciplined planning rather than impulse.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates that all necessary arrangements were decided and put in place; Yudhiṣṭhira then gathered the required materials, indicating the commencement of an important royal-ritual undertaking in the Ashvamedhika context.