सदस्याग्र्यार्हणार्हं वै विमृशन्त: सभासद: । नाध्यगच्छन्ननैकान्त्यात् सहदेवस्तदाब्रवीत् ॥ १८ ॥
sadasyāgryārhaṇārhaṁ vai vimṛśantaḥ sabhā-sadaḥ nādhyagacchann anaikāntyāt sahadevas tadābravīt
- sadasya
- of the members of the assembly
- agrya
- first
- arhaṇa
- worship
- arham
- him who deserves
- vai
- indeed
- vimṛśantaḥ
- pondering over
- sabhā
- in the assembly
- sadaḥ
- those seated
- na adhyagacchan
- they could not come to a conclusion
- anaika-antyāt
- because of the great number (of qualified candidates)
- sahadevaḥ
- Sahadeva, the younger brother of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira
- tadā
- then
- abravīt
- spoke
The members of the assembly then pondered over who among them should be worshiped first, but since there were many personalities qualified for this honor, they were unable to decide. Finally Sahadeva spoke up.