Shloka 15
अध्याय १: महाप्रस्थानारम्भः
The Commencement of the Great Departure
शिष्यं परिक्षितं तस्मै ददौ भरतसत्तम: । तत्पश्चात् गुरुवर कृपाचार्यकी पूजा करके पुरवासियों-सहित परीक्षितको शिष्यभावसे उनकी सेवामें सौंप दिया ।। ततस्तु प्रकृती: सर्वा: समानाय्य युधिष्ठिर:
śiṣyaṃ parīkṣitaṃ tasmai dadau bharatasattamaḥ | tatpaścāt guruvare kṛpācāryakī pūjā kṛtvā puravāsibhiḥ saha parīkṣitaṃ śiṣyabhāvena tasya sevāyāṃ samarpya dadau || tatastu prakṛtīḥ sarvāḥ samānāyya yudhiṣṭhiraḥ |
Vaiśampāyana berkata: Yang terbaik antara keturunan Bharata menyerahkan Parīkṣit kepadanya sebagai seorang murid. Sesudah itu, setelah memuliakan guru terunggul, Kṛpācārya, dengan sewajarnya, baginda menyerahkan Parīkṣit—bersama warga kota—agar sang putera, dalam semangat kemuridan, berkhidmat di bawah bimbingannya. Kemudian Yudhiṣṭhira pun mulai memanggil berhimpun semua unsur utama kerajaan.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Right succession is not merely a transfer of power but a transfer of discipline: the heir is placed under a qualified guru, and the king publicly honors the teacher, affirming that learning, restraint, and service are foundations of dharma and stable governance.
Yudhiṣṭhira entrusts the young Parīkṣit to Kṛpācārya as a disciple, ensuring his training and guidance. After honoring Kṛpa, he formally places Parīkṣit under the teacher’s care (with the citizens as witnesses/participants), and then begins the administrative step of summoning the realm’s key constituents (prakṛtayaḥ).