Āśvamedhika-parva, Adhyāya 14
Consolation of Yudhiṣṭhira; Rites and Gifts; Return to Hastināpura
अन्वशासच्च धर्मात्मा पृथिवीं सागराम्बराम् । तदनन्तर राजा युधिष्ठिरने देवताओं और ब्राह्मणोंका पूजन किया और मरे हुए बन्धु- बान्धवोंका श्राद्ध करके वे धर्मात्मा नरेश समुद्रपर्यन्त पृथ्वीका शासन करने लगे
Vaiśampāyana uvāca: anvāśāsac ca dharmātmā pṛthivīṃ sāgarāmbarām | tad-anantaraṃ rājā yudhiṣṭhirena devatā-brāhmaṇānāṃ pūjanaṃ kṛtam, mṛtānāṃ bandhu-bāndhavānāṃ śrāddhaṃ ca kṛtvā sa dharmātmā nareśaḥ samudra-paryantāṃ pṛthivīṃ śāsituṃ pracakrame |
ໄວສັມປາຍະນະ ກ່າວວ່າ: ພຣະຣາຊາຜູ້ມີຈິດໃຈແຫ່ງທັມມະນັ້ນ ໄດ້ປົກຄອງແຜ່ນດິນຈົນຈອດຂອບທະເລ. ຕໍ່ມາ ພຣະຣາຊາ ຢຸທິສຖິຣະ ໄດ້ບູຊາເທວະດາ ແລະນົບນ້ອມພຣາຫມັນ; ແລະເມື່ອໄດ້ຖວາຍພິທີ ສຣາດທະ (śrāddha) ແກ່ຍາດພີ່ນ້ອງຜູ້ລ່ວງລັບແລ້ວ ກໍເລີ່ມບໍລິຫານອານາຈັກທີ່ແຜ່ໄປຈົນຮອດທະເລ ໂດຍຄວາມເຄົາລົບ ຄວາມກະຕັນຍູ ແລະການປົກຄອງຕາມທັມມະ ຫຼັງຄວາມພິນາດແຫ່ງສົງຄາມ.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
The verse highlights rajadharma: a king’s legitimacy and stability arise from dharmic governance joined with reverence for the sacred (deities and Brāhmaṇas) and responsibility toward the dead through śrāddha. Political order is shown as inseparable from ethical duty, gratitude, and ritual obligations.
After the war, Yudhiṣṭhira performs worship and honors Brāhmaṇas, then conducts śrāddha rites for deceased relatives. Having completed these duties, he begins ruling the ocean-bounded earth, signaling the restoration of lawful kingship and social-religious order.