Shloka 20
कर्णप्रवेशः—रङ्गे द्वन्द्वयुद्धप्रस्तावः तथा अङ्गराज्याभिषेकः
Karna’s Entry, Duel Proposal, and Consecration as King of Aṅga
तमकूजमभिकज्ञाय जनौघं सर्वशस्तदा । पूजयित्वा यथान्यायं पाद्येनाघ्येण च प्रभो,राजन्! उस समय वहाँ आये हुए समस्त जनसमुदायको चुपचाप बैठे देख भीष्मजीने पाद्य-अर्घ्य आदिके द्वारा सब महर्षियोंकी यथोचित पूजा करके उन्हें अपने राज्य तथा राष्ट्रका कुशल-समाचार निवेदन किया। तब उन महर्षियोंमें जो सबसे अधिक वृद्ध थे, वे जटा और मृगचर्म धारण करनेवाले मुनि अन्य सब ऋषियोंकी अनुमति लेकर इस प्रकार बोले---
Vaiśampāyana uvāca: tam akūjam abhikajñāya janaughaṁ sarvaśas tadā | pūjayitvā yathānyāyaṁ pādyenārghyeṇa ca prabho ||
Disse Vaiśampāyana: Então, percebendo a multidão reunida sentada em silenciosa atenção, Bhīṣma honrou devidamente os grandes sábios segundo o costume—oferecendo água para lavar os pés e a oferenda de arghya. Tendo assim demonstrado reverência, indagou sobre o bem-estar do reino e do povo. Em seguida, o mais idoso entre aqueles ṛṣis—de cabelos emaranhados e vestido com pele de cervo—após obter o consentimento dos demais, começou a falar.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights dharma in the form of proper hospitality and reverence: a ruler upholds ethical order by honoring sages according to established custom (pādya and arghya) and by seeking the welfare of realms and people, showing that power is guided by respect for spiritual authority and social propriety.
Vaiśampāyana narrates that Bhīṣma sees the gathered people sitting quietly, receives and honors the assembled sages with formal offerings, asks about the well-being of their domains, and then the eldest sage—after obtaining the others’ consent—begins to speak.