Shloka 76
Adhyāya 31: Rājasūya-samāgama — The Gathering of Kings and the Ordering of Hospitality
(विभीषणं च राजानमभिवाद्य कृताञ्जलि: ।। प्रदक्षिणं परीत्यैव निर्जगाम घटोत्कच: । तदनन्तर घटोत्कचने हाथ जोड़कर राजा विभीषणको प्रणाम किया और उनकी परिक्रमा करके वहाँसे प्रस्थान किया। तानि सर्वाणि रत्नानि अष्टाशीतिर्निशाचरा: ।। आज हु: समुदा राजन् हैडिम्बेन तदा सह । राजन! घटोत्कचके साथ अट्बासी निशाचर उन सब रत्नोंको पहुँचानेके लिये प्रसन्नतापूर्वक आये। रत्नान्यादाय सर्वाणि प्रतस्थे स घटोत्कच: ।। ततो रत्नान्युपादाय हैडिम्बो राक्षसै: सह । जगाम तूर्ण लड़काया: सहदेवपदं प्रति ।। आसेदु: पाण्डवं सर्वे लड्घयित्वा महोदधिम् ।। इस प्रकार उन सब रत्नोंको साथ ले घटोत्कचने राक्षसोंके साथ लंकासे सहदेवके पड़ावकी ओर प्रस्थान किया और समुद्र लाँधकर वे सब-के-सब पाण्डुनन्दन सहदेवके निकट आ पहुँचे। सहदेवो ददर्शाथ रत्नाहारान् निशाचरान् । आगतान् भीमसंकाशान् हैडिम्बं च तथा नृप ।। राजन! सहदेवने रत्न लेकर आये हुए भयंकर निशाचरों तथा घटोत्कचको भी देखा। द्रमिला नैऋतान् दृष्ट्वा दुद्रुवुस्ते भयादिता: । भैमसेनिस्ततो गत्वा माद्रेयं प्राउजलि: स्थित: ।। उस समय उन राक्षसोंको देखकर द्राविड़ सैनिक भयभीत हो सब ओर भागने लगे। इतनेमें ही भीमसेनकुमार घटोत्कच माद्रीनन्दन सहदेवके पास आ हाथ जोड़कर खड़ा हो गया। प्रीतिमानभवद् दृष्टवा रत्नौघं तं च पाण्डव: | त॑ परिष्वज्य पाणिश्यां दृष्टवा तान् प्रीतिमानभूत् ।। विसृज्य द्रमिलान् सर्वान् गमनायोपचक्रमे ।) पाण्डुकुमार सहदेव वह रत्न-राशि देखकर बड़े प्रसन्न हुए। उन्होंने घटोत्कचको दोनों हाथोंसे पकड़कर गले लगाया और दूसरे राक्षसरोंकी ओर देखकर भी बड़ी प्रसन्नता प्रकट की। इसके बाद समस्त द्राविड़ सैनिकोंको विदा करके सहदेव वहाँसे लौटनेकी तैयारी करने लगे। न्यवर्तत ततो धीमान् सहदेव: प्रतापवान्,तैयारी पूरी हो जानेपर प्रतापी और बुद्धिमान् सहदेव इन्द्रप्रसथ्की ओर चल दिये
vibhīṣaṇaṃ ca rājānam abhivādya kṛtāñjaliḥ | pradakṣiṇaṃ parītyaiva nirjagāma ghaṭotkacaḥ ||
tad-anantaraṃ ghaṭotkacena hastau yojayitvā rājā vibhīṣaṇo'bhivāditaḥ, tasya ca pradakṣiṇā kṛtvā tataḥ prasthitaḥ |
tāni sarvāṇi ratnāni aṣṭāśītir niśācarāḥ | ājahuḥ samudā rājann haiḍimbenā tadā saha ||
ratnāny ādāya sarvāṇi pratasthe sa ghaṭotkacaḥ |
tato ratnāny upādāya haiḍimbo rākṣasaiḥ saha | jagāma tūrṇaṃ laṅkāyāḥ sahadeva-padaṃ prati ||
āseduḥ pāṇḍavaṃ sarve laṅghayitvā mahodadhim |
sahadevo dadarśātha ratnāhārān niśācarān | āgatān bhīma-saṅkāśān haiḍimbaṃ ca tathā nṛpa ||
dramilā nairṛtān dṛṣṭvā dudruvus te bhayāditāḥ |
bhaimasenis tato gatvā mādreyaṃ prāñjaliḥ sthitaḥ ||
prītimān abhavad dṛṣṭvā ratnaughaṃ taṃ ca pāṇḍavaḥ | taṃ pariṣvajya pāṇibhyāṃ dṛṣṭvā tān prītimān abhūt ||
visṛjya dramilān sarvān gamanāyopacakrame |
nyavartata tato dhīmān sahadevaḥ pratāpavān indraprasthaṃ prati ||
Vaiśampāyana said: Having saluted King Vibhīṣaṇa with folded hands and having respectfully circumambulated him, Ghaṭotkaca departed. Then, O king, eighty-six night-ranging rākṣasas came gladly together with Haiḍimba to deliver all those jewels. Taking up the entire treasure, Ghaṭotkaca set out; and Haiḍimba too, accompanied by the rākṣasas, swiftly left Laṅkā for Sahadeva’s camp. Leaping across the great ocean, they all arrived before the Pāṇḍava Sahadeva. Sahadeva saw the fearsome night-rangers bearing garlands and heaps of jewels, and he also saw Haiḍimba. At the sight of those rākṣasas, the Drāviḍa troops panicked and fled in fear; meanwhile Ghaṭotkaca, Bhīma’s son, approached Mādrī’s son Sahadeva and stood with joined palms. Seeing the mass of jewels and Ghaṭotkaca, Sahadeva was filled with joy; he clasped Ghaṭotkaca with both hands and embraced him, and he also expressed pleasure on seeing the other rākṣasas. After dismissing the Drāviḍa soldiers, Sahadeva made preparations to depart; when all was ready, the wise and valiant Sahadeva turned back and set out toward Indraprastha. Ethically, the passage highlights disciplined respect to allies (salutation and pradakṣiṇā), orderly transfer of wealth without coercion, and prudent leadership—calming fear, acknowledging service, and moving forward with purpose.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage emphasizes dharmic conduct in alliances: show formal respect to benefactors, acknowledge service with gratitude, manage fear among one’s own troops, and proceed with disciplined purpose. Power and wealth are framed as to be handled through proper protocol and mutual obligation rather than intimidation.
Ghaṭotkaca respectfully takes leave of Vibhīṣaṇa, then—together with Haiḍimba and many rākṣasas—transports a large collection of jewels from Laṅkā to Sahadeva’s camp, crossing the ocean. Sahadeva welcomes them warmly, the local troops initially panic at the rākṣasas’ appearance, and then Sahadeva dismisses the soldiers and prepares to return toward Indraprastha.