Shloka 8
Śaṅkha–Likhita Upākhyāna: Daṇḍa, Confession, and the Purification of Kingship (शङ्ख-लिखितोपाख्यानम्)
“कुरुनन्दन! महाराज! पहले सर्वमेध और अश्वमेध यज्ञोंका अनुष्ठान करो। उससे परम गतिको प्राप्त करोगे ।। भ्रातृश्व सर्वान् क्रतुभि: संयोज्य बहुदक्षिणै: । सम्प्राप्त: कीर्तिमतुलां पाण्डवेय भविष्यसि,'पाण्डुपुत्र! अपने समस्त भाइयोंको बहुत-सी दक्षिणावाले यज्ञोंमें लगाकर तुम अनुपम कीर्ति प्राप्त कर लोगे
Vaiśampāyana uvāca: Kurunandana! Mahārāja! pūrvaṃ sarvamedha-aśvamedha-yajñānām anuṣṭhānaṃ kuru. tataḥ paramāṃ gatiṃ prāpsyasi. bhrātṝś ca sarvān kratubhiḥ saṃyojya bahu-dakṣiṇaiḥ, samprāptaḥ kīrtim atulāṃ pāṇḍaveya bhaviṣyasi.
Vaiśampāyana berkata: “Wahai kegembiraan kaum Kuru, wahai raja agung—mula-mula laksanakanlah korban suci Sarvamedha dan Aśvamedha. Dengan itu engkau akan mencapai tujuan tertinggi. Dan wahai putera Pāṇḍu, dengan mengerahkan semua saudaramu dalam korban-korban yang kaya dengan pemberian (dakṣiṇā), engkau akan meraih kemasyhuran yang tiada bandingan.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
A king should re-establish dharma after conflict through sanctioned Vedic rites and generous giving. Performing great sacrifices with abundant dakṣiṇā is presented as a means to both spiritual uplift (paramā gati) and public legitimacy (atulā kīrti), especially when the ruler involves his kin in shared religious duty.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction-setting, Vaiśampāyana reports counsel directed to the Kuru king (Yudhiṣṭhira): he is urged to undertake the Sarvamedha and Aśvamedha and to engage all his brothers in richly endowed sacrifices, thereby securing supreme attainment and unmatched renown.