Mahabharata · 2.12.9–10
॥
Devanāgarī
स मन्त्रिणः समानाय्य भ्रातॄंश् च वदतां वरः ॥
राजसूयं प्रति तदा पुनः पुनर् अपृच्छत ॥
ते पृच्छ्यमानाः सहिता वचो ऽर्थ्यं मन्त्रिणस् तदा ॥
युधिष्ठिरं महाप्राज्ञं यियक्षुम् इदम् अब्रुवन् ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
sa mantriṇaḥ samānāyya bhrātṝṃś ca vadatāṃ varaḥ ||
rājasūyaṃ prati tadā punaḥ punar apṛcchata ||
te pṛcchyamānāḥ sahitā vaco 'rthyaṃ mantriṇas tadā ||
yudhiṣṭhiraṃ mahāprājñaṃ yiyakṣum idam abruvan ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
सः मन्त्रिणः समानाय्यsaḥ mantriṇaḥ samānāyyahe, having gathered the counselors,
भ्रातॄन् च वदताम् वरःbhrātṝn ca vadatām varaḥand his brothers, best of speakers,
राजसूयम् प्रति तदाrājasūyam prati tadāabout the Rajasuya then
पुनः पुनः अपृच्छतpunaḥ punaḥ apṛcchataagain and again he asked;
ते पृच्छ्यमानाः सहिताःte pṛcchyamānāḥ sahitāḥthey, being asked, together,
वचः अर्थ्यम् मन्त्रिणः तदाvacaḥ arthyam mantriṇaḥ tadāa weighty word, the counselors, then
युधिष्ठिरम् महा-प्राज्ञम्yudhiṣṭhiram mahā-prājñamto Yudhishthira, of great wisdom,
यियक्षुम् इदम् अब्रुवन्yiyakṣum idam abruvanwho wished to sacrifice, said this:
सsaoriginal form "sa", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
भ्रातॄंश्bhrātṝṃśoriginal form "bhrātṝṃś", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
वदतांvadatāṃoriginal form "vadatāṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
राजसूयंrājasūyaṃoriginal form "rājasūyaṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
पुनर्punaroriginal form "punar", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
सहिताsahitāoriginal form "sahitā", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
वचोvacooriginal form "vaco", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
ऽर्थ्यं'rthyaṃoriginal form "'rthyaṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
मन्त्रिणस्mantriṇasoriginal form "mantriṇas", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
युधिष्ठिरंyudhiṣṭhiraṃoriginal form "yudhiṣṭhiraṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
महाप्राज्ञंmahāprājñaṃoriginal form "mahāprājñaṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
Translation
"Having gathered his counselors and brothers, the best of speakers asked them again and again about the Rajasuya; and they, being asked, together spoke then a weighty word to Yudhishthira, of great wisdom, who wished to perform the sacrifice."
Version
f512fb61618e · published Jul 16, 2026, 3:13:23 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Here even the wisest king does not rely on his own judgment alone, but seeks counsel. It is telling that Yudhishthira asks "again and again": true wisdom is not ashamed to consult and to test. Thus the scripture shows counsel as the support of prudence; and the counselors answer.