Shloka 21

युधिष्ठिरस्य राज्याभिषेकः | Yudhiṣṭhira’s Royal Consecration

Devanagari script

युधिष्ठिर महाबाहो दिष्ट्या जयसि पाण्डव । दिष्ट्या स्वधर्म प्राप्तोड्सि विक्रमेण महाद्युते

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | yudhiṣṭhira mahābāho diṣṭyā jayasi pāṇḍava | diṣṭyā svadharma-prāpto 'si vikrameṇa mahādyute ||

Translation

Disse Vaiśampāyana: “Ó Yudhiṣṭhira de braços poderosos, filho de Pāṇḍu, é de fato por boa fortuna que venceste. E é igualmente sinal de bênção, ó rei de grande esplendor, que por teu próprio valor tenhas alcançado um reino conforme ao teu dever legítimo (svadharma).”

Word by Word

• {'vaiśampāyana uvāca': 'Vaiśampāyana said', 'yudhiṣṭhira': 'Yudhiṣṭhira (eldest Pāṇḍava, exemplar of dharma)', 'mahābāho': 'mighty-armed

• a heroic epithet', 'diṣṭyā': 'by good fortune

• auspiciously', 'jayasi': 'you win

• you are victorious', 'pāṇḍava': 'son/descendant of Pāṇḍu

• Pāṇḍava prince', 'svadharma': 'one’s own rightful duty

• personal/royal obligation according to station', "prāptaḥ asi (prāpto 'si)": 'you have obtained

• you have attained', 'vikrameṇa': 'by valour

• through heroic effort', 'mahādyute': 'O great-splendoured one

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Pāṇḍu

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse links political success to ethical legitimacy: victory is praised not merely as conquest, but as the attainment of rule that accords with svadharma (rightful duty). Fortune (diṣṭyā) is acknowledged, yet the king’s own effort and valour (vikrama) are also affirmed—suggesting that righteous sovereignty arises from both providence and disciplined action aligned with duty.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva setting, after the great war, Vaiśampāyana narrates words that congratulate Yudhiṣṭhira. He declares Yudhiṣṭhira’s victory auspicious and emphasizes that Yudhiṣṭhira has obtained the kingdom in a dharma-consistent manner, framing the outcome as legitimate and ethically grounded despite the trauma of war.