Adhyāya 33: Antarvedī-Samāgama, Arghya-Nirṇaya, and Śiśupāla’s Objection
भ्रातृभिज्ञातिभिश्वैव सुहृद्धिः सचिवै: सह । क्षत्रियैश्व मनुष्येन्द्रैननादेशसमागतै:
bhrātṛbhir jñātibhiś caiva suhṛdbhiḥ sacivaiḥ saha | kṣatriyaiś ca manuṣyendrair nanādeśa-samāgataiḥ ||
ते आपल्या भावांबरोबर, नातलगांबरोबर, सुहृदांबरोबर व सचिव-मंत्र्यांसह होते; तसेच अनेक देशांतून आलेले क्षत्रिय नरेश—मनुष्यांचे अधिपती—तेथे जमले होते.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
The verse highlights that royal decisions and events occur within a web of relationships—family, allies, and ministers—so dharma in governance is inherently public and relational: loyalty, counsel, and responsibility are shared and scrutinized by the wider polity.
Vaiśampāyana describes a scene in which a principal figure is accompanied by brothers, relatives, friends, ministers, and numerous kṣatriya kings who have gathered from many regions—signaling a major courtly or political occasion with broad attendance.