किं कुर्मः पुरुषव्याघ्र ब्रवीहि पुरुषर्षभ ॥
कृतम् इत्य् एव तज् ज्ञेयं नृपैर् यद्य् अपि दुष्करम् ॥
तान् उवाच हृषीकेशः समाश्वास्य महामनाः ॥
युधिष्ठिरो राजसूयं क्रतुम् आहर्तुम् इच्छति ॥
तस्य धर्मप्रवृत्तस्य पार्थिवत्वं चिकीर्षतः ॥
सर्वैर् भवद्भिर् यज्ञार्थे साहाय्यं दीयताम् इति ॥
kiṃ kurmaḥ puruṣavyāghra bravīhi puruṣarṣabha ||
kṛtam ity eva taj jñeyaṃ nṛpair yady api duṣkaram ||
tān uvāca hṛṣīkeśaḥ samāśvāsya mahāmanāḥ ||
yudhiṣṭhiro rājasūyaṃ kratum āhartum icchati ||
tasya dharmapravṛttasya pārthivatvaṃ cikīrṣataḥ ||
sarvair bhavadbhir yajñārthe sāhāyyaṃ dīyatām iti ||
"What shall we do, O tiger among men? Command us, O bull among men; let it be reckoned by the kings as already done -- whatever the task, however hard to accomplish." To them, comforting them, the great-souled Hrishikesha said: "Yudhishthira wishes to perform the rajasuya sacrifice; to him, who abides in dharma and desires to establish his royal dignity, let all of you render aid for the sake of the sacrifice."
fb72b147d2f8 · published Jul 16, 2026, 3:28:50 PM UTC
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The rescued kings offer to do anything, "however hard to accomplish" -- gratitude does not bargain. It is telling that the Lord turns their eagerness not toward himself but toward the cause of his devotee: let aid be rendered to Yudhishthira for the sake of the sacrifice. Thus it is shown that the Supreme exalts his servant by directing another's gratitude toward him; his own glory seeks to express itself in the glory of the righteous king. The verse teaches that service to the Lord is carried out through service to his cause and to his people.