Shloka 14
सहदेव-दक्षिण-दिग्विजयः — Sahadeva’s Southern Conquest and the Māhiṣmatī–Agni Encounter
ततस्तानब्रवीद् राजन्नर्जुन: प्रहसन्निव । पार्थिवत्वं चिकीर्षामि धर्मराजस्य धीमत:
tatastān abravīd rājann arjunaḥ prahasann iva | pārthivatvaṃ cikīrṣāmi dharmarājasya dhīmataḥ ||
তাৰ পাছত অৰ্জুনে, যেন মৃদু হাঁহি হাঁহি, তেওঁলোকক ক’লে—হে ৰাজন, মই মোৰ ধীমান ধৰ্মৰাজক সমগ্ৰ ভূ-মণ্ডলৰ একমাত্ৰ সাৰ্বভৌম চক্রৱৰ্তী সম্ৰাট ৰূপে স্থাপন কৰিব বিচাৰোঁ।
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights dharmic political intent: Arjuna’s aim is not personal power but the establishment of righteous sovereignty under Dharmarāja, implying that legitimate rule should be grounded in wisdom and dharma rather than mere conquest.
Vaiśampāyana narrates that Arjuna speaks to the assembled persons (contextually, those involved in planning/consultation) and declares his intention to secure universal kingship for Yudhiṣṭhira, signaling the move toward imperial consolidation (later expressed through rites like the rājasūya).