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Shloka 12

Dhaumya-varaṇa (Appointment of Dhaumya as Purohita) | धौम्यवरणम्

स हि तान्‌ याजयामास सर्वान्‌ नृपतिसत्तमान्‌ | ब्रद्मर्षि: पाण्डवश्रेष्ठ बृहस्पतिरिवामरान्‌,पाण्डवश्रेष्ठ! जैसे बृहस्पतिजी सम्पूर्ण देवताओंका यज्ञ कराते हैं, उसी प्रकार ब्रह्मर्षि वसिष्ठने उन सम्पूर्ण श्रेष्ठ राजाओंका यज्ञ कराया था

sa hi tān yājayāmāsa sarvān nṛpatisattamān | brahmarṣiḥ pāṇḍavaśreṣṭha bṛhaspatir ivāmarān ||

彼婆罗门仙(Brahmarṣi)婆悉吒,确使那一切最上诸王行诸祭祀;噢,般度子中之最胜者,正如天神之祭司布里哈斯帕提(Bṛhaspati)主持诸不死者的一切祭祀一般。

सःhe
सः:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
हिindeed/for
हि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि
तान्those (them)
तान्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
याजयामासcaused (them) to perform sacrifice / officiated their sacrifice
याजयामास:
TypeVerb
Rootयज्
FormPerfect (Liṭ), Parasmaipada, Third, Singular, Causative (ṇic)
सर्वान्all
सर्वान्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootसर्व
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
नृपति-सत्तमान्the best of kings
नृपति-सत्तमान्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootनृपति-सत्तम
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
ब्रह्मर्षिःthe brahmarshi (great seer)
ब्रह्मर्षिः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootब्रह्मर्षि
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
पाण्डव-श्रेष्ठO best of the Pandavas
पाण्डव-श्रेष्ठ:
TypeNoun (Vocative address)
Rootपाण्डव-श्रेष्ठ
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
बृहस्पतिःBrihaspati
बृहस्पतिः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootबृहस्पति
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
इवlike/as
इव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइव
अमरान्the immortals (gods)
अमरान्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootअमर
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural

गन्धर्व उवाच

गन्धर्व (Gandharva, the speaker)
पाण्डवश्रेष्ठ (best of the Pāṇḍavas—addressed listener)
ब्रह्मर्षि (Brahmarṣi—implied officiating sage, identified in the given context as वसिष्ठ Vasiṣṭha)
बृहस्पति (Bṛhaspati)
अमर (the gods/immortals)
नृपतिसत्तम (foremost kings)

Educational Q&A

Legitimate royal authority is strengthened when aligned with Vedic dharma: kings uphold order and generosity, while a qualified Brahmarṣi ensures rituals are performed correctly. The comparison to Bṛhaspati highlights the ideal standard of priestly guidance—impartial, authoritative, and oriented toward the welfare of the whole polity.

A Gandharva describes how a supreme sage (understood here as Vasiṣṭha) officiated sacrifices for many eminent kings, just as Bṛhaspati conducts sacrifices for the gods. The statement elevates the sage’s stature and frames the kings’ rites as part of a broader cosmic and ethical order.