Shloka 17

अध्याय ३० — क्रोधदोषाः क्षमाप्रशंसा च

Defects of Anger and the Praise of Forbearance

Devanagari script

अश्वमेधो राजसूय: पुण्डरीको5थ गोसव: । एतैरपि महायज्ैरिष्ट ते भूरिदक्षिणै:,अश्वमेध, राजसूय, पुण्डरीक तथा गोसव--इन सभी महायज्ञोंका आपने प्रचुर दक्षिणादानपूर्वक अनुष्ठान किया है

Transliteration

aśvamedho rājasūyaḥ puṇḍarīko ’tha gosavaḥ | etair api mahāyajñair iṣṭa te bhūridakṣiṇaiḥ ||

Translation

Yudhiṣṭhira disse: “Tu realizaste até mesmo estes grandes sacrifícios—Aśvamedha, Rājasūya, Puṇḍarīka e Gosava—cada qual acompanhado de abundantes dádivas (dakṣiṇā) aos oficiantes.”

Word by Word

अश्वमेधःthe Aśvamedha (horse-sacrifice)

राजसूयःthe Rājasūya (royal consecration sacrifice)

पुण्डरीकःthe Puṇḍarīka (a great sacrifice)

अथand/then

गोसवःthe Gosava (a sacrifice/rite connected with cows)

एतैःby/with these

अपिalso/even

महायज्ञैःwith great sacrifices

इष्टःhas been worshipped/sacrificed (i.e., you have performed sacrifice)

तेof you/your

भूरिदक्षिणैःhaving abundant fees/gifts (as dakṣiṇā)

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Yudhiṣṭhira

Aśvamedha

Rājasūya

Puṇḍarīka (sacrifice)

Gosava (rite)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights that true royal greatness is measured not merely by power but by dharmic action—performing sanctioned rites and, crucially, giving abundant dakṣiṇā. It frames generosity and responsibility as ethical restraints that legitimize authority.

What is happening in the narrative?

Yudhiṣṭhira addresses the listener (contextually a revered figure/king), acknowledging that he has already completed renowned major sacrifices—Aśvamedha, Rājasūya, Puṇḍarīka, and Gosava—each with lavish gifts, thereby emphasizing his established merit and standing.