तस्मिंस् ततो ऽहनि प्राप्ते राजा ससचिवस् तदा ॥
भीष्मं प्रमुखतः कृत्वा कृपं चाचार्यसत्तमम् ॥
मुक्ताजालपरिक्षिप्तं वैडूर्यमणिभूषितम् ॥
शातकुम्भमयं दिव्यं प्रेक्षागारम् उपागमत् ॥
गान्धारी च महाभागा कुन्ती च जयतां वर ॥
स्त्रियश् च सर्वा या राज्ञः सप्रेष्याः सपरिच्छदाः ॥
हर्षाद् आरुरुहुर् मञ्चान् मेरुं देवस्त्रियो यथा ॥
ब्राह्मणक्षत्रियाद्यं च चातुर्वर्ण्यं पुराद् द्रुतम् ॥
दर्शनेप्सु समभ्यागात् कुमाराणां कृतास्त्रताम् ॥
प्रवादितैश् च वादित्रैर् जनकौतूहलेन च ॥
महार्णव इव क्षुब्धः समाजः सो ऽभवत् तदा ॥
tasmiṃs tato 'hani prāpte rājā sasacivas tadā ||
bhīṣmaṃ pramukhataḥ kṛtvā kṛpaṃ cācāryasattamam ||
muktājālaparikṣiptaṃ vaiḍūryamaṇibhūṣitam ||
śātakumbhamayaṃ divyaṃ prekṣāgāram upāgamat ||
gāndhārī ca mahābhāgā kuntī ca jayatāṃ vara ||
striyaś ca sarvā yā rājñaḥ sapreṣyāḥ saparicchadāḥ ||
harṣād āruruhur mañcān meruṃ devastriyo yathā ||
brāhmaṇakṣatriyādyaṃ ca cāturvarṇyaṃ purād drutam ||
darśanepsu samabhyāgāt kumārāṇāṃ kṛtāstratām ||
pravāditaiś ca vāditrair janakautūhalena ca ||
mahārṇava iva kṣubdhaḥ samājaḥ so 'bhavat tadā ||
'When that day arrived, the king, with his counselors, having placed Bhishma and Kripa, the best of teachers, in front, entered the wondrous golden spectator-hall, draped with pearl-nets and adorned with vaidurya gems. And the most fortunate Gandhari, and Kunti, and all the wives of the king with their maidservants and retinue, climbed onto the platforms in joy, like goddesses onto Meru. And people of the four classes — brahmins, kshatriyas, and the rest — hastened from the city, desiring to see, and gathered to watch the princes' mastery of arms; and from the sounding instruments and the people's curiosity that assembly became like an agitated great ocean.'
4877bb1ed90e · published Jul 12, 2026, 4:53:32 PM UTC
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Here the solemnity of a whole nation's gathering shows itself. It is telling that all classes and all the women of the household are united in common joy: the exhibition of the princes is a celebration for the whole people, who love their future defenders. The scripture reveals here an image of a harmonious society that honors valor and rejoices in the well-being of the ruling house. Telling too is the comparison of the assembly to an 'agitated ocean': the multitude and shared excitement are likened to the sea's own force. Thus the scripture prepares the brilliant scene of the exhibition — perhaps the last moment of the Kurus' shared rejoicing, before the first spark of discord flares up on that same arena.