Shloka 26
अध्याय ९५: चित्राङ्गदस्य गन्धर्वेण सह संग्रामः तथा विचित्रवीर्यस्य राज्याभिषेकः
Chitrāṅgada’s duel with the Gandharva and Vicitravīrya’s consecration
राजसूयाश्चदमेधाद्यै: सोडयजद् बहुभि: सवैः । सुहोत्र: पृथिवीं कृत्स्नां बुभुजे सागराम्बराम्
rājasūyāś ca aśvamedhādyaiḥ ṣoḍaśa-yajñair bahubhiḥ savaiḥ | suhōtraḥ pṛthivīṃ kṛtsnāṃ bubhuje sāgarāmbarām ||
Vaiśampāyana sprach: Durch die Darbringung vieler großer Opfer—wie Rājasūya und Aśvamedha—insgesamt sechzehn, gelangte Suhotra dazu, die ganze Erde, vom Ozean umgürtet, zu genießen und zu beherrschen. Die Erzählung betont das Ideal, dass souveräne Herrschaft durch vedische Riten und öffentliche Taten des Dharma legitimiert wird, nicht bloß durch Gewalt.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse presents an ethical-political ideal: a king’s enjoyment of sovereignty is portrayed as grounded in dharmic conduct and Vedic rites (yajñas), suggesting that rightful rule is validated by responsibility, ritual order, and public welfare rather than mere conquest.
Vaiśampāyana describes King Suhotra’s rise to universal dominion: after performing many major sacrifices—explicitly including the Rājasūya and Aśvamedha, totaling sixteen—he is said to possess and rule the whole earth, figuratively described as ‘clothed by the ocean’ (i.e., the entire world).