Shloka 117
Adhyāya 90: Babhruvāhana’s Reception and the Commencement of Yudhiṣṭhira’s Aśvamedha
जगामादर्शन तेषां विप्रास्ते च ययुर्गृहान्,वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--जनमेजय! यज्ञस्थलमें उन समस्त श्रेष्ठ ब्राह्मणोंसे ऐसा कहकर वह नेवला वहाँसे गायब हो गया और वे ब्राह्मण भी अपने-अपने घर चले गये
jagāmādarśanaṃ teṣāṃ viprās te ca yayur gṛhān | vaiśampāyana uvāca—janamejaya! yajñasthale teṣāṃ sarveṣāṃ śreṣṭha-brāhmaṇānām evaṃ uktvā sa nakulaḥ tatraiva adarśanaṃ gataḥ, te brāhmaṇā api sva-sva-gṛhān jagmuḥ ||
Sinabi ni Vaiśampāyana: “O Janamejaya, matapos magsalita nang gayon sa loob ng pook ng paghahandog, sa harap ng lahat ng mararangal na Brahmana, ang monggós ay naglaho sa kanilang paningin; at ang mga Brahmana man ay nagsiuwi sa kani-kanilang tahanan.” Ipinakikita ng pangyayaring ito na ang matalim na patotoong moral ay kayang yumanig sa pagmamataas ng ritwal: kapag naipahayag na ang katotohanan, umaalis ang saksi, at iniiwan ang kapulungan upang magnilay sa etikal na diwa sa likod ng seremonya.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse closes a moral intervention: after delivering a truth meant to test the ethical worth behind a grand ritual, the mongoose disappears. The implied teaching is that ritual grandeur is not self-justifying; dharma depends on inner sincerity, humility, and moral substance, not merely on ceremonial display.
In the sacrificial arena, the mongoose (nakula) has spoken to the assembled eminent brāhmaṇas. After saying its piece, it vanishes from their sight, and the brāhmaṇas disperse to their homes—signaling the end of the episode and leaving the audience to contemplate the critique it delivered.