Shloka 4
स राजा धर्मराड् राजन् दीक्षितो विबभौ तदा | हेममाली रुक्मकण्ठ: प्रदीप्त इव पावक:,राजन! यज्ञमें दीक्षित हुए धर्मराज राजा युधिष्ठिर सोनेकी माला और कण्ठमें सोनेकी कण्ठी धारण किये प्रज्वलित अग्निके समान प्रकाशित हो रहे थे
sa rājā dharmarāḍ rājan dīkṣito vibabhau tadā | hemamālī rukmakaṇṭhaḥ pradīpta iva pāvakaḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana said: O king, at that time Dharma-rāja Yudhiṣṭhira, having been consecrated for the sacrifice, shone forth—wearing a golden garland and a golden neck-ornament—like a blazing fire. The verse underscores the ethical ideal that a ruler’s radiance is grounded in dharma and disciplined ritual commitment, not mere power.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
A king’s true brilliance is tied to dharma and self-discipline: the consecration (dīkṣā) symbolizes restraint, purity, and responsibility, making royal splendour an outward sign of inner ethical order.
As the Aśvamedha preparations proceed, Yudhiṣṭhira undergoes ritual consecration and is described as radiant, adorned with gold ornaments, shining like a blazing fire—marking the solemn commencement of the sacrificial rite.