Shloka 42
अर्जुनस्योत्तरदिग्विजयः
Arjuna’s Northern Conquests and Tribute Collection
(सहदेव उवाच यत् कृतं पुरुषव्यात्र मम पित्रा जनार्दन | तत् ते हृदि महाबाहो न कार्य पुरुषोत्तम ।। सहदेव बोला--पुरुषसिंह जनार्दन! महाबाहु पुरुषोतम! मेरे पिताने जो अपराध किया है, उसे आप अपने हृदयसे निकाल दें। त्वां प्रपन्नो5स्मि गोविन्द प्रसाद कुरु मे प्रभो । पितुरिच्छामि संस्कारं कर्तु देवकिनन्दन ।। गोविन्द! मैं आपकी शरणमें आया हूँ। प्रभो! आप मुझपर कृपा कीजिये। देवकीनन्दन! मैं अपने पिताका दाह-संस्कार करना चाहता हूँ। त्वत्तो5 भ्यनुज्ञां सम्प्राप्प भीमसेनात् तथार्जुनात् | निर्भयो विचरिष्यामि यथाकामं यथासुखम् ।। आपसे, भीमसेनसे तथा अर्जुनसे आज्ञा लेकर यह कार्य करूँगा और आपकी कृपासे निर्भय हो इच्छानुसार सुखपूर्वक विचरूँगा। वैशम्पायन उवाच एवं विज्ञाप्यमानस्य सहदेवस्य मारिष | प्रह्ष्टो देवकीपुत्र: पाण्डवी च महारथौ ।। वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--जनमेजय! सहदेवके इस प्रकार निवेदन करनेपर देवकीनन्दन भगवान् श्रीकृष्ण तथा महारथी भीमसेन और अर्जुन बड़े प्रसन्न हुए। क्रियतां संस्क्रिया राजन् पितुस्त इति चाब्रुवन् तच्छुत्वा वासुदेवस्य पार्थयोश्व स मागध: ।। प्रविश्य नगरं तूर्ण सह मन्त्रिभिरप्युत । चितां चन्दनकाष्ठैक्ष कालेयसरलैस्तथा ।। कालागुरुसुगन्धैश्न तैलैश्व विविधैरपि । घृतधाराक्षतैश्वैव सुमनोभिश्न मागधम् ।। समन्तादवकीर्यन्त दहान्तं मगधाधिपम् | उन सबने एक स्वरसे कहा--'राजन्! तुम अपने पिताका अन्त्येष्टि-संस्कार करो।' भगवान् श्रीकृष्ण तथा दोनों कुन्तीकुमारोंका यह आदेश सुनकर मगधराजकुमारने मन्त्रियोंके साथ शीघ्र ही नगरमें प्रवेश किया। फिर चन्दनकी लकड़ी तथा केसर, देवदारु और काला अगुरु आदि सुगन्धित काष्ठोंस चिता बनाकर उसपर मगधराजका शव रखा गया। तत्पश्चात् जलती चितामें दग्ध होते हुए मगधराजके शरीरपर नाना प्रकारके चन्दनादि सुगन्धित तैल और घीकी धाराएँ गिरायी गयीं। सब ओरसे अक्षत और फूलोंकी वर्षा की गयी। उदकं तस्य चक्रेडथ सहदेव: सहानुज: ।। कृत्वा पितु: स्वर्गगतिं निर्ययौ यत्र केशव: । पाण्डवौ च महा भागौ भीमसेनार्जुनावुभौ ।। स प्रह्दः प्राउजलि भूत्वा विज्ञापपत माधवम् | शवदाहके पश्चात् सहदेवने अपने छोटे भाईके साथ पिताके लिये जलांजलि दी। इस प्रकार पिताका पारलौकिक कार्य करके राजकुमार सहदेव नगरसे निकलकर उस स्थानमें गया, जहाँ भगवान् श्रीकृष्ण तथा महाभाग पाण्डुपुत्र भीमसेन और अर्जुन विद्यमान थे। उसने नगम्रतापूर्वक हाथ जोड़कर भगवान् श्रीकृष्णसे कहा। सहदेव उवाच इमे रत्नानि भूरीणि गोडजाविमहिषादय: । हस्तिनो<श्वाक्ष॒ गोविन्द वासांसि विविधानि च ।। दीयतां धर्मराजाय यथा वा मन्यते भवान् ।) सहदेवने कहा--प्रभो! ये गाय, भैंस, भेड़-बकरे आदि पशु, बहुत-से रत्न, हाथी-घोड़े और नाना प्रकारके वस्त्र आपकी सेवामें प्रस्तुत हैं। गोविन्द! ये सब वस्तुएँ धर्मराज युधिष्ठिरको दीजिये अथवा आपकी जैसी रुचि हो, उसके अनुसार मुझे सेवाके लिये आदेश दीजिये। भयार्ताय ततस्तस्मै कृष्णो दत्त्वाभयं तदा । आददे<स्य महाहाणि रत्नानि पुरुषोत्तम:,वह भयसे पीड़ित हो रहा था; पुरुषोत्तम भगवान् श्रीकृष्णने उसे अभयदान देकर उसके लाये हुए बहुमूल्य रत्नोंकी भेंट स्वीकार कर ली
sahadeva uvāca |
yat kṛtaṃ puruṣavyāghra mama pitrā janārdana |
tat te hṛdi mahābāho na kārya puruṣottama ||
tvāṃ prapanno 'smi govinda prasāda kuru me prabho |
pitur icchāmi saṃskāraṃ kartuṃ devakīnandana ||
tvatto 'bhyanujñāṃ samprāpya bhīmasenāt tathārjunāt |
nirbhayo vicarīṣyāmi yathākāmaṃ yathāsukham ||
vaśiṣṭha uvāca (vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca) |
evaṃ vijñāpyamānasya sahadevasya māriṣa |
prahṛṣṭo devakīputraḥ pāṇḍavī ca mahārathau ||
kriyatāṃ saṃskriyā rājan pituṣ ta iti cābruvan |
tac chrutvā vāsudevasya pārthayoś ca sa māgadhaḥ |
praviśya nagaraṃ tūrṇaṃ saha mantribhir apy uta |
citāṃ candanakāṣṭhaiś ca kāleyasaralaiḥ tathā |
kālāgurusu-gandhaiś ca tailaiś ca vividhair api |
ghṛtadhārākṣataiś caiva sumanobhiś ca māgadhaṃ |
samantād avakīryanta dahantaṃ magadhādhipam |
udakaṃ tasya cakre 'tha sahadevaḥ sahānujaḥ |
kṛtvā pituḥ svargagatiṃ niryayau yatra keśavaḥ |
pāṇḍavau ca mahābhāgau bhīmasenārjunāv ubhau |
sa prahṛṣṭaḥ prāñjali bhūtvā vijñāpayat mādhavam |
sahadeva uvāca |
ime ratnāni bhūrīṇi go-ajāvima-hiṣādayaḥ |
hastino 'śvāś ca govinda vāsāṃsi vividhāni ca |
dīyatāṃ dharmarājāya yathā vā manyate bhavān ||
bhayārtāya tataḥ tasmai kṛṣṇo dattvābhayaṃ tadā |
ādade 'sya mahārhāṇi ratnāni puruṣottamaḥ ||
Sahadeva said: “O tiger among men, Janārdana—O mighty-armed Puruṣottama—do not keep in your heart what my father has done. Let that offense be set aside. Govinda, I have come to you for refuge. Lord, show me grace. O son of Devakī, I wish to perform my father’s funeral rites. Having obtained permission from you, and also from Bhīmasena and Arjuna, I shall carry out this duty without fear, and thereafter live as I may—according to right desire and in peace.” Vaiśaṃpāyana said: When Sahadeva made this request, the son of Devakī (Kṛṣṇa) and the two Pāṇḍava great chariot-warriors (Bhīma and Arjuna) were pleased. They said with one voice, “O king, perform your father’s last rites.” Hearing the command of Vāsudeva and the two Pārthas, the Magadhan prince quickly entered the city with his ministers. He prepared a pyre of sandalwood and other fragrant woods, placed the king of Magadha upon it, and as the body burned, poured scented oils and streams of ghee, while rice-grains and flowers were scattered all around. After the cremation, Sahadeva, together with his younger brother, offered the water-oblation for his father. Having completed the rites that secure the departed one’s onward course, he went out to where Keśava was, along with the illustrious Pāṇḍavas Bhīmasena and Arjuna. With folded hands he addressed Mādhava: “Lord, here are many jewels, cattle, goats, sheep, buffaloes, elephants, horses, and various garments—offered in your service. Govinda, let these be given to Dharmarāja Yudhiṣṭhira, or command me as you see fit.” Then Kṛṣṇa, the supreme person, granted him assurance of safety and accepted the precious jewels he had brought—calming the fear that still troubled him. Ethically, the passage highlights restraint after victory, the duty of honoring even an enemy’s dead through proper rites, and the role of refuge and forgiveness in restoring social order.
सहदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even after conflict, dharma requires restraint and reconciliation: one should not cling to resentment, should honor the dead with proper rites, and should seek/offer protection (abhaya) to restore social order. Sahadeva models humility and responsibility by requesting forgiveness for his father’s wrongdoing and prioritizing funeral duty over triumph.
Sahadeva approaches Kṛṣṇa, Bhīma, and Arjuna, asking them not to hold his father’s offense against him and requesting permission to perform his father’s cremation. They consent. The Magadhan prince arranges an elaborate cremation with fragrant woods, oils, ghee, rice, and flowers, then offers water-oblations. Afterwards Sahadeva returns, offers wealth and livestock, and Kṛṣṇa grants him safety and accepts the precious gifts.