Shloka 75
Adhyāya 31: Rājasūya-samāgama — The Gathering of Kings and the Ordering of Hospitality
(ततो ददौ विचित्राणि कम्बलानि कुथानि च | दन्तकाञ्चनपर्यड्कान् मणिहेमविचित्रितान् ।। उन्होंने सहदेवके लिये हाथीकी पीठपर बिछाने योग्य विचित्र कम्बल (कालीन) तथा हाथीदाँत और सुवर्णके बने हुए पलंग दिये, जिनमें सोने तथा रत्न जड़े हुए थे। भूषणानि विचित्राणि महाहाणि बहूनि च | प्रवालानि च शुभ्राणि मणींश्व विविधान् बहून् ।। काञ्चनानि च भाण्डानि कलशानि घटानि च | कटाहान्यपि चित्राणि द्रोण्यश्रैव सहसत्रश: ।। इसके सिवा बहुत-से विचित्र और बहुमूल्य आभूषण भी भेंट किये। सुन्दर मूँगे, भाँति- भाँतिके मणिरत्न, सोनेके बर्तन, कलश, घड़े, विचित्र कड़ाहे और हजारों जलपात्र समर्पित किये। राजतानि च भाण्डानि चित्राणि च बहूनि च | शस्त्राणि रुक्मचित्राणि मणिमुक्तिविचित्रितान् ।। इनके सिवा चाँदीके भी बहुत-से ऐसे बर्तन दिये, जिनमें चित्रकारी की गयी थी। कुछ ऐसे शस्त्र भेंट किये, जिनमें सुवर्ण, मणि और मोती जड़े हुए थे। यज्ञस्य तोरणे युक्तान् ददौ तालांश्षतुर्दश । रुक्मपड़कजपुष्पाणि शिबिका मणिभूषिता: ।। यज्ञके फाटकपर लगानेयोग्य चौदह ताड़ प्रदान किये। सुवर्णमय कमलपुष्प और मणिजटित शिबिकाएँ भी दीं। मुकुटानि महाहणि हेमवर्णाश्व॒ कुण्डलान् | हेमपुष्पाण्यनेकानि रुक्ममाल्यानि चापरान् ।। शड्खांश्व॒ चन्द्रसंकाशाञ्छतावर्तान् विचित्रिण: । बहुमूल्य मुकुट, सुनहले कुण्डल, सोनेके बने हुए अनेकानेक पुष्प, सोनेके ही हार तथा चन्द्रमाके समान उज्ज्वल एवं विचित्र शतावर्त शंख भेंट किये। चन्दनानि च मुख्यानि रुक्मरत्नान्यनेकश: ।। वासांसि च महाहाणि कम्बलानि बहुन्यपि । अन्यांश्व विविधान् राजन् रत्नानि च बहूनि च ।। स ददौ सहदेवाय तदा राजा विभीषण: ।) श्रेष्ठ चन्दन, अनेक प्रकारके सुवर्ण तथा रत्न, महँगे वस्त्र, बहुत-से कम्बल, अनेक जातिके रत्न तथा और भी भाँति-भाँतिके बहुमूल्य पदार्थ राजा विभीषणने सहदेवको भेंट किये। ततः सम्प्रेषषामास रत्नानि विविधानि च । चन्दनागुरुकाष्ठानि दिव्यान्याभरणानि च
tato dadau vicitrāṇi kambalāni kuthāni ca | dantakāñcanaparyaṅkān maṇihemavicitrītān || bhūṣaṇāni vicitrāṇi mahārghāṇi bahūni ca | pravālāni ca śubhrāṇi maṇīṃś ca vividhān bahūn || kāñcanāni ca bhāṇḍāni kalaśān ghaṭānī ca | kaṭāhāny api citrāṇi droṇyaś caiva sahasraśaḥ || rājatāni ca bhāṇḍāni citrāṇi ca bahūni ca | śastrāṇi rukmacitrāṇi maṇimuktivicitrītān || yajñasya toraṇe yuktān dadau tālāṃś caturdaśa | rukmapadmakapuṣpāṇi śibikā maṇibhūṣitāḥ || mukūṭāni mahārghāṇi hemavarṇāni kuṇḍalān | hemapuṣpāṇy anekāni rukmamālyāni cāparān || śaṅkhāṃś ca candrasaṅkāśāñ chatāvartān vicitriṇaḥ | candanāni ca mukhyāni rukmaratnāny anekaśaḥ || vāsāṃsi ca mahārghāṇi kambalāni bahūny api | anyāṃś ca vividhān rājan ratnāni ca bahūni ca || sa dadau sahadevāya tadā rājā vibhīṣaṇaḥ | tataḥ sampreṣayām āsa ratnāni vividhāni ca | candanāgurukāṣṭhāni divyāny ābharaṇāni ca ||
Vaiśaṃpāyana said: Then King Vibhīṣaṇa presented Sahadeva with many wondrous blankets and fine coverings fit to be spread upon an elephant’s back, and with couches fashioned of ivory and gold, inlaid with gems and gold. He also offered numerous exquisite and highly valuable ornaments—bright coral and many kinds of precious stones—together with golden vessels, jars and pots, painted cauldrons, and thousands of water-troughs. He gave many decorated silver vessels as well, and weapons adorned with gold, gems, and pearls. For the sacrificial gateway he bestowed fourteen palm standards; he also gave golden lotus-flowers and palanquins ornamented with jewels. Costly crowns, golden earrings, many golden flowers, and other garlands of gold were offered, along with moon-bright, variegated conch-shells of the śatāvarta kind. He presented choice sandalwood, many varieties of gold and gems, expensive garments, many blankets, and diverse precious items besides. Thus did King Vibhīṣaṇa honor Sahadeva; thereafter he continued to send further assorted jewels, sandalwood and aloe-wood, and divine ornaments. Ethically, the passage frames royal generosity as a public act of honoring merit and alliance: wealth is deployed not for private indulgence but to uphold social bonds, sacrificial propriety, and the dignity of a righteous guest/recipient.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights dāna as a royal virtue: wealth is used to honor worthy persons, strengthen righteous alliances, and support public-ritual propriety. Generosity here functions as dharmic statecraft—bestowing gifts to uphold social order, gratitude, and mutual obligation.
Vaiśaṃpāyana narrates how King Vibhīṣaṇa lavishly honors Sahadeva by presenting a long catalogue of valuable items—textiles, jeweled furniture, ornaments, vessels of gold and silver, weapons, ritual decorations for a sacrificial gateway, palanquins, crowns, conches, sandalwood, and more—continuing even afterward by sending additional treasures and fragrances.