महेन्द्रयानप्रतिमं रथं तु; सोपस्करं हाटकरत्नचित्रम् ॥
युधिष्ठिरः काञ्चनभाण्डयोक्त्रं; समास्थितो नागकुलस्य मध्ये ॥
समुच्छ्रितं दान्तशलाकम् अस्य; सुपाण्डुरं छत्रम् अतीव भाति ॥
प्रदक्षिणं चैनम् उपाचरन्ति; महर्षयः संस्तुतिभिर् नरेन्द्रम् ॥
पुरोहिताः शत्रुवधं वदन्तो; महर्षिवृद्धाः श्रुतवन्त एव ॥
जप्यैश् च मन्त्रैश् च तथौषधीभिः; समन्ततः स्वस्त्य् अयनं प्रचक्रुः ॥
ततः स वस्त्राणि तथैव गाश् च; फलानि पुष्पाणि तथैव निष्कान् ॥
कुरूत्तमो ब्राह्मणसान् महात्मा; कुर्वन् ययौ शक्र इवामरेभ्यः ॥
mahendrayānapratimaṃ rathaṃ tu; sopaskaraṃ hāṭakaratnacitram ||
yudhiṣṭhiraḥ kāñcanabhāṇḍayoktraṃ; samāsthito nāgakulasya madhye ||
samucchritaṃ dāntaśalākam asya; supāṇḍuraṃ chatram atīva bhāti ||
pradakṣiṇaṃ cainam upācaranti; maharṣayaḥ saṃstutibhir narendram ||
purohitāḥ śatruvadhaṃ vadanto; maharṣivṛddhāḥ śrutavanta eva ||
japyaiś ca mantraiś ca tathauṣadhībhiḥ; samantataḥ svasty ayanaṃ pracakruḥ ||
tataḥ sa vastrāṇi tathaiva gāś ca; phalāni puṣpāṇi tathaiva niṣkān ||
kurūttamo brāhmaṇasān mahātmā; kurvan yayau śakra ivāmarebhyaḥ ||
Yudhishthira took his stand amid the ranks of elephants, mounted upon a chariot like the vehicle of Mahendra, richly equipped, adorned with gold and gems, fitted with golden trappings and harness. Above him a most radiant white parasol, raised high on ivory ribs, shone brilliantly; and the great sages circled the king from the right, offering their hymns of praise. The priests and the elder sages, learned in the scriptures, proclaimed the destruction of his enemies and, on every side, performed blessings for him with recitations, sacred formulas, and herbs. Then this best of the Kurus, the great soul, giving to the brahmanas garments, cows, fruits, flowers, and golden ornaments, set forth like Shakra among the immortals.
ea0ca753946a · published Jul 17, 2026, 8:55:05 PM UTC
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Yudhishthira goes into battle as a king whose strength rests on a sacrificial and blessed order. The gifts to the brahmanas, the mantras, and the circumambulation from the right show that for the Pandavas war is never separated from dharma; even before the fighting begins, they seek not merely victory but a righteous entry into action.