Mahabharata · 1.174.7–8
॥
Devanāgarī
तान् धौम्यः प्रतिजग्राह सर्ववेदविदां वरः ॥
पाद्येन फलमूलेन पौरोहित्येन चैव ह ॥
ते तदाशंसिरे लब्धां श्रियं राज्यं च पाण्डवाः ॥
तं ब्राह्मणं पुरस्कृत्य पाञ्चाल्याश् च स्वयंवरम् ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
tān dhaumyaḥ pratijagrāha sarvavedavidāṃ varaḥ ||
pādyena phalamūlena paurohityena caiva ha ||
te tadāśaṃsire labdhāṃ śriyaṃ rājyaṃ ca pāṇḍavāḥ ||
taṃ brāhmaṇaṃ puraskṛtya pāñcālyāś ca svayaṃvaram ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
तान् धौम्यः प्रतिजग्राह सर्ववेदविदां वरःtān dhaumyaḥ pratijagrāha sarvavedavidāṃ varaḥthem Dhaumya received, best of all knowers of the Veda,
पाद्येन फलमूलेन पौरोहित्येन च एव हpādyena phalamūlena paurohityena ca eva hawith water for the feet, fruits and roots, and by taking on the priesthood;
ते तदा आशंसिरे लब्धां श्रियं राज्यं च पाण्डवाःte tadā āśaṃsire labdhāṃ śriyaṃ rājyaṃ ca pāṇḍavāḥthen the Pandavas conceived hope of the fortune and kingdom [yet] to be won,
तं ब्राह्मणं पुरस्कृत्य पाञ्चाल्याः च स्वयंवरम्taṃ brāhmaṇaṃ puraskṛtya pāñcālyāḥ ca svayaṃvaramsetting that brahmin in front, and toward the svayamvara of the Panchala princess;
चैवcaivaoriginal form "caiva", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
तदाशंसिरेtadāśaṃsireoriginal form "tadāśaṃsire", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
पाञ्चाल्याश्pāñcālyāśoriginal form "pāñcālyāś", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
Translation
"Dhaumya, best of all knowers of the Veda, received them -- with water for the feet, fruits and roots -- and took on the priesthood. Then the Pandavas, setting that brahmin in front, conceived hope of the fortune and kingdom to come, and of the svayamvara of the Panchala princess."
Version
db8e30ed0fc5 · published Jul 12, 2026, 5:37:22 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Here the finding of a purohita revives hope. It is telling that only "having set the brahmin in front" do the Pandavas begin to hope for fortune and kingdom: with a spiritual guide at the head, every undertaking gains the assurance of success. Here the gandharva's counsel (ch. 159, 164) comes to pass: a king should place a brahmin in front -- and the Pandavas, having done so, are ready for great things. Thus scripture shows that with the finding of a guru the path to accomplishment opens; and their hope, resting on spiritual support, is not in vain.