Shloka 23
मარკण्डेयागमनम् तथा सत्यव्रत-उपदेशः
Arrival of Mārkaṇḍeya and Counsel on Truth-Vows
कर्णश्रवाश्न मुज्जश्न लवणाश्वश्न॒ काश्यप: । हारीतः स्थूणकर्णश्र अग्निवेश्योडथ शौनक:,द्वैपायन व्यास, नारद, परशुराम, पृथुश्रवा, इन्द्रद्ममम, भालुकि, कृतचेता, सहस्रपात्, कर्णश्रवा, मुंज, लवणाश्व, काश्यप, हारीत, स्थूणकर्ण, अग्निवेश्य, शौनक, कृतवाक्, सुवाक्, बृहदश्वच, विभावसु, ऊध्वरेता, वृषामित्र, सुहोत्र तथा होत्रवाहन--ये सब ब्रह्मर्षि तथा राजर्षिगण और दूसरे कठोर व्रतका पालन करनेवाले बहुत-से ब्राह्मण अजातशत्रु युधिष्ठिरका उसी प्रकार आदर करते थे, जैसे महर्षि लोग देवराज इन्द्रका
vaiśampāyana uvāca | karṇaśravāś ca muñjaś ca lavaṇāśvaś ca kāśyapaḥ | hārītaḥ sthūṇakarṇaś cāgniveśyo 'tha śaunakaḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana said: Karṇaśravā, Muñja, Lavaṇāśva, Kāśyapa, Hārīta, Sthūṇakarṇa, Agniveśya, and Śaunaka—these and many other brahmarṣis, rājarṣis, and austere brāhmaṇas honored Yudhiṣṭhira, the foe-less king, with the same reverence that the great seers show to Indra, lord of the gods. The passage underscores that true sovereignty is validated not merely by power but by dharmic conduct recognized by the wise.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Legitimate kingship is grounded in dharma: when a ruler embodies restraint, truthfulness, and justice, the spiritually accomplished (brahmarṣis and rājarṣis) naturally honor him—moral authority endorses political authority.
The narrator lists prominent sages and states that they, along with many other austere brāhmaṇas, show Yudhiṣṭhira deep respect, likening their regard for him to the reverence great seers show Indra.