Mahabharata 2.32.16 — Sabha Parva, Adhyaya 32, Shloka 16

Adhyāya 32: Rājasūya-Dīkṣā and Appointment of Court Offices (राजसूयदीक्षा तथा अधिकारविनियोगः)

Devanagari script

ततः सागरकुक्षिस्थान्‌ म्लेच्छान्‌ू परमदारुणान्‌

Transliteration

tataḥ sāgarakukṣisthān mlecchān paramadāruṇān jitvā ratnāni ca tebhyo gṛhītvā vijayasya vicitrān upāyān jñātvā kuruśreṣṭho nakula indraprasthaṃ pratyāvavṛte

Translation

Dann unterwarf Nakula, der Vornehmste der Kurus und kundig in mannigfachen Strategien der Eroberung, die überaus wilden Mlecchas, die im Schoß des Ozeans wohnten—auf Meeresinseln und an Küstenstrichen. Nachdem er von ihnen Tribut an Edelsteinen empfangen hatte, kehrte er nach Indraprastha zurück.

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• सागरकुक्षिस्थान्: dwelling in the ocean’s bosom (islands/coasts)
• सागरकुक्षिस्थान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सागरकुक्षिस्थ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• म्लेच्छान्: foreigners, barbarians (Mlecchas)
• म्लेच्छान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: म्लेच्छ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• परमदारुणान्: most dreadful, extremely fierce
• परमदारुणान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परमदारुण
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Nakula
• Indraprastha
• Sāgara (ocean/sea)
• Mlecchas
• Pahlavas
• Barbaras
• Kirātas
• Yavanas
• Śakas
• Ratnas (jewels/treasures)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The passage highlights a model of kingship where victory is followed by the orderly acceptance of tribute, implying the ruler’s duty to establish political stability and regulated relations rather than mere destruction.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates that Nakula conquers fierce sea-region peoples (including island/coastal groups) and receives jewels as tribute, then returns to Indraprastha as part of the Pāṇḍavas’ wider campaign of subduing regions.