Shloka 77
संहितापुस्तकान् राजन् प्रयतः सुसमाहित:ः । भक्ष्यैमल्यैश्न पेयैश्व कामैश्न विविधै: शुभ:,इस प्रकार एकाग्रचित्त हो सब पर्वोकी संहिताओंको समाप्त करके शास्त्रवेत्ता पुरुषको चाहिये कि वह उन्हें रेशमी वस्त्रोंमें लपेटकर किसी उत्तम स्थानमें रखे और स्वयं स्नान आदिसे पवित्र हो श्वेत वस्त्र, फ़ूलकी माला तथा आभूषण धारण करके चन्दन-माला आदि उपचारोंसे उन संहिता-पुस्तककी पृथक्-पृथक् विधिवत् पूजा करे। पूजाके समय चित्तको एकाग्र एवं शुद्ध रखे। भाँति-भाँतिके उत्तम भक्ष्य, भोजन, पेय, माल्य तथा अन्य कमनीय वस्तुएँ भेंटके रूपमें चढ़ाये
saṁhitāpustakān rājan prayataḥ susamāhitaḥ | bhakṣyaiḥ mālyaiś ca peyaiś ca kāmaiś ca vividhaiḥ śubhaiḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana said: “O King, with self-restraint and a well-collected mind, one should duly honor the compiled books of the sacred recensions. Offering fine foods, garlands, drinks, and other auspicious and desirable gifts, one should worship them with focused and purified attention.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches reverence for sacred learning: texts are to be approached with bodily and mental purity, steady attention, and generous offerings—treating knowledge as a living object of dharma rather than mere material property.
Vaiśampāyana instructs the king on the proper, ritualized honoring of the Mahābhārata’s compiled books (saṁhitās): with disciplined focus, one offers food, garlands, drinks, and other auspicious gifts as part of a formal worship of the manuscripts/recensions.