Shloka 56

राजपूजाविधानम् / Royal Reception Protocols during Āśvamedha Preparations

Devanagari script

धृतराष्ट्र महीपालमुपतस्थे यथाविधि । अर्जुनके हितकी कामनासे कुन्तीदेवीने स्वयं ही उन दोनोंका बड़ा सत्कार किया। कुन्तीसे सत्कार पाकर महातेजस्वी राजा बश्रुवाहन महाराज धृतराष्ट्रकी सेवामें उपस्थित हुआ और उसने विधिपूर्वक उनका चरण-स्पर्श किया

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | dhṛtarāṣṭraṃ mahīpālam upatasthē yathāvidhi | kuntīdevyā svayam eva tayor ubhayor mahān satkāraḥ kṛtaḥ, arjunake hitakāmanayā | kuntīsatkāraṃ prāpya mahātejā rājā babhruvāhanaḥ mahārāja dhṛtarāṣṭrasya sevāyām upasthitaḥ, sa ca vidhivat tasya caraṇau spṛṣṭavān |

Translation

Vaiśampāyana nói: Theo đúng nghi thức, Babhruvāhana đến gần vua Dhṛtarāṣṭra với lòng tôn kính. Mong cầu điều lành cho Arjuna, hoàng hậu Kuntī đích thân tiếp đãi và tôn vinh trọng hậu cả hai. Được Kuntī đón tiếp cung kính, vị vua Babhruvāhana rạng rỡ đứng hầu bên Dhṛtarāṣṭra và, theo lệ đúng phép, chạm vào chân ngài—một cử chỉ khẳng định dharma qua sự khiêm cung, phụng sự bậc trưởng thượng và hòa giải sau xung đột.

Word by Word

• धृतराष्ट्रः: Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• धृतराष्ट्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धृतराष्ट्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महीपालम्: the king (protector of the earth)
• महीपालम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: महीपाल
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• उपतस्थे: attended upon / waited on
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-स्था
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• यथा: as / according to
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• विधि: rule, prescribed manner
• विधि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Kuntī
• Arjuna
• Babhruvāhana

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharma expressed through proper conduct: honoring guests, serving elders, and showing humility (touching the feet) even amid post-war tensions—actions that help restore social harmony and ethical order.

What is happening in the narrative?

Kuntī, wishing for Arjuna’s good, warmly honors Dhṛtarāṣṭra and Babhruvāhana. After receiving this hospitality, Babhruvāhana respectfully approaches Dhṛtarāṣṭra, attends upon him, and performs the customary act of touching his feet.