Shloka 5
अध्याय ४६ — सभाप्रवेशः तथा सञ्जयस्य दूतवृत्तान्तः
Entry into the Royal Assembly and Sañjaya’s Envoy Report
रुचिरैरासनैस्तीर्णा काञ्चनैर्दारवैरपि । अश्मसारमयैदन्ति: स्वास्तीर्णै: सोत्तरच्छदै:
rucirair āsanais tīrṇā kāñcanair dāravair api | aśmasāramayair dantibhiḥ svāstīrṇaiḥ sottaracchadaiḥ ||
ヴァイシャンパーヤナは語った。――王の議場には見事な座が整えられていた。黄金や木、石のごとく堅き材、そして象牙で作られた美しい座席が雅やかに敷き並べられ、その上には覆い布と上掛けが丁寧に掛けられていた。
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ordered splendor of a royal court: material prosperity is presented as a sign of political power and disciplined arrangement. In the Mahābhārata’s ethical frame, such grandeur often forms the backdrop for weighty deliberations on dharma—reminding readers that external magnificence does not guarantee righteous counsel, but it sets the stage where responsibility and decision-making must match the kingdom’s stature.
Vaiśampāyana is describing the setting of a royal assembly hall. The hall is prepared with attractive seats made from precious and fine materials—gold, wood, hard stone-like substance, and ivory—neatly arranged and covered with cloths, indicating a formal gathering and an atmosphere of courtly ceremony.