Shloka 52
Adhyāya 31: Rājasūya-samāgama — The Gathering of Kings and the Ordering of Hospitality
विधिवत पुरुषव्यात्र: पावकं प्रत्युपाविशत् | प्रमुखे तस्य सैन्यस्य भीतोद्विग्नस्य भारत,भारत! ऐसा कहकर नरश्रेष्ठ माद्रीकुमार सहदेव धरतीपर कुश बिछाकर अपनी भयभीत और उद्विग्न सेनाके अग्रभागमें विधिपूर्वक अग्निके सम्मुख धरना देकर बैठ गये
sahadeva uvāca |
vidhivat puruṣavyāghraḥ pāvakaṁ pratyupāviśat |
pramukhe tasya sainyasya bhītodvignasya bhārata ||
定めの作法に従い、その「人中の虎」は聖火に向かって坐し、恐れに揺らぐ軍勢のまさに先頭に位置した――バーラタよ。群れの不安が高まる時にこそ、ダルマと規律ある祭儀へと意図的に立ち返ることを、この場面は強く示す。サハデーヴァは火を証人として、正当な決意によって兵を鎮めたのである。
सहदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even amid fear and agitation, a leader anchors action in vidhivat conduct—ritual order and dharma—using the sacred fire as a witness to disciplined resolve and ethical steadiness.
Sahadeva, described as a foremost hero, formally seats himself facing the ritual fire at the front of the frightened army, signaling a deliberate, dharma-aligned act meant to stabilize and direct the troops.