ततो राजानम् आमन्त्र्य विदुरानुगतो बहिः ॥
भारद्वाजो महाप्राज्ञो मापयाम् आस मेदिनीम् ॥
समाम् अवृक्षां निर्गुल्माम् उदक्प्रवणसंस्थिताम् ॥
तस्यां भूमौ बलिं चक्रे तिथौ नक्षत्रपूजिते ॥
अवघुष्टं पुरे चापि तदर्थं वदतां वर ॥
रङ्गभूमौ सुविपुलं शास्त्रदृष्टं यथाविधि ॥
प्रेक्षागारं सुविहितं चक्रुस् तत्र च शिल्पिनः ॥
राज्ञः सर्वायुधोपेतं स्त्रीणां चैव नरर्षभ ॥
मञ्चांश् च कारयाम् आसुस् तत्र जानपदा जनाः ॥
विपुलान् उच्छ्रयोपेताञ् शिबिकाश् च महाधनाः ॥
tato rājānam āmantrya vidurānugato bahiḥ ||
bhāradvājo mahāprājño māpayām āsa medinīm ||
samām avṛkṣāṃ nirgulmām udakpravaṇasaṃsthitām ||
tasyāṃ bhūmau baliṃ cakre tithau nakṣatrapūjite ||
avaghuṣṭaṃ pure cāpi tadarthaṃ vadatāṃ vara ||
raṅgabhūmau suvipulaṃ śāstradṛṣṭaṃ yathāvidhi ||
prekṣāgāraṃ suvihitaṃ cakrus tatra ca śilpinaḥ ||
rājñaḥ sarvāyudhopetaṃ strīṇāṃ caiva nararṣabha ||
mañcāṃś ca kārayām āsus tatra jānapadā janāḥ ||
vipulān ucchrayopetāñ śibikāś ca mahādhanāḥ ||
'Then, having taken leave of the king, accompanied by Vidura, the most wise son of Bharadvaja went out and measured the ground — level, treeless, free of thickets, sloping toward the north. On that ground he made a sacrificial offering on a day auspicious by constellation, and it was proclaimed in the city as well. On the arena the craftsmen built a vast, well-arranged spectator-hall, according to the prescriptions of the shastras, as is proper — furnished with every weapon for the king and with seats for the women; and the country folk built there vast, lofty platforms and brought costly palanquins.'
255cf5588cc2 · publicado 12 jul 2026, 16:53:32 UTC
Disponible enRUENPasa de verso en verso con
Here the arena for the exhibition is prepared — with rite and according to prescription. It is telling that even the martial contest begins with a sacrificial offering (bali) on an auspicious day: every significant undertaking in the Vedic world is consecrated by rite and entrusted to the gods. In this one sees piety pervading even the most worldly activity: even a warriors' spectacle opens with sacrifice and blessing. It is telling, too, that the construction is 'according to the prescriptions of the shastras' (shastra-drishtam): even architecture is subject to the sacred canon. Thus the scripture reveals a world in which everything — from war to spectacle — is carried out within the bounds of dharma and consecrated, and prepares the solemn scene of the exhibition.