Shloka 124
Adhyāya 125: Raṅga-pradarśana — Arjuna’s Entry and Astric Demonstration (रङ्गप्रदर्शनम्)
(ततः पुरोहित: स्नात्वा प्रेतकर्मणि पारग: । हिरण्यशकलान्याज्यं तिलान् दधि च तण्डुलान् ।।
tataḥ purohitaḥ snātvā pretakarmaṇi pāragāḥ | hiraṇyaśakalāny ājyaṃ tilān dadhi ca taṇḍulān || udakumbhaṃ saparaśuṃ samānīya tapassvibhiḥ | aśvamedhāgnim āhṛtya yathānyāyaṃ samantataḥ || kāśyapaḥ kārayāmāsa pāṇḍoḥ pretasya tāṃ kriyām || ahatāmbarasaṃvīto bhrātṛbhiḥ sahito 'naghaḥ | udakaṃ kṛtavāṃs tatra purohitamate sthitaḥ || arhatas tasya kṛtyāni śataśṛṅganivāsinaḥ | tāpasā vidhivac cakruś cāraṇā ṛṣibhiḥ saha ||
Vaiśampāyana berkata: Kemudian pendeta keluarga—setelah mandi dan mahir dalam upacara bagi yang telah meninggal—menghimpunkan kepingan emas, mentega jernih (ghṛta), bijan, dadih, dan beras, serta sebuah tempayan air dan sebuah kapak; dengan bantuan para pertapa, beliau membawa api suci Aśvamedha. Setelah mengatur segala-galanya di sekeliling menurut aturan, Kāśyapa menyuruh dilaksanakan upacara pengebumian bagi Pāṇḍu yang telah mangkat. Sesudah itu, Yudhiṣṭhira yang tidak bernoda, mengenakan pakaian baharu dan ditemani saudara-saudaranya, mempersembahkan oblation air di sana menurut perintah pendeta. Para pertapa yang tinggal di Śataśṛṅga, bersama para Cāraṇa dan para Ṛṣi, menyempurnakan dengan tertib segala upacara pascakematian yang wajib bagi raja yang mulia itu. Demikianlah berakhir bab ke-seratus dua puluh empat dalam Ādi Parva, Sambhava Parva, Mahābhārata.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Dharma is shown as disciplined responsibility in times of loss: the living honor the dead through prescribed rites, guided by learned authority (the purohita) and supported by community witnesses (ascetics, ṛṣis, and Cāraṇas). Ethical conduct here is not abstract—it is enacted through correct, respectful ritual action and filial duty.
After Pāṇḍu’s death, the priest Kāśyapa prepares the required ritual substances and brings a sacred fire associated with the Aśvamedha. He conducts Pāṇḍu’s funerary rites according to rule. Yudhiṣṭhira, wearing fresh garments and accompanied by his brothers, performs the water-oblation as instructed. Ascetics of Śataśṛṅga, together with ṛṣis and Cāraṇas, complete the remaining posthumous rites.