Shloka 156

Devanagari script

यदाश्रौषं दिग्विजये पाण्डुपुत्रै- व॑शीकृतान्‌ भूमिपालान्‌ प्रसहा । महाक्रतुं राजसूयं कृतं च तदा नाशंसे विजयाय संजय,जब मैंने सुना कि दिग्विजयके समय पाण्डवोंने बलपूर्वक बड़े-बड़े भूमिपतियोंको अपने अधीन कर लिया और महायज्ञ राजसूय सम्पन्न कर दिया। संजय! तभी मैंने समझ लिया कि मेरी विजयकी कोई आशा नहीं है

Transliteration

yadāśrauṣaṃ digvijaye pāṇḍuputrair vaśīkṛtān bhūmipālān prasahā | mahākratuṃ rājasūyaṃ kṛtaṃ ca tadā nāśaṃse vijayāya sañjaya ||

Translation

When I heard that, in their campaign of conquest, the sons of Pāṇḍu had forcibly brought great kings under their control, and that they had also completed the grand sacrifice—the Rājasūya—then, Sañjaya, I no longer held any hope of victory.

Word by Word

• {'yadā': 'when', 'aśrauṣam': 'I heard', 'digvijaye': 'in the conquest of the quarters

• campaign of universal conquest', 'pāṇḍuputraiḥ': 'by the sons of Pāṇḍu (the Pāṇḍavas)', 'vaśīkṛtān': 'subdued

• brought under control', 'bhūmipālān': 'earth-protectors

• kings, rulers', 'prasahā': 'by force

• forcibly', 'mahākratum': 'a great sacrificial rite

• grand ritual', 'rājasūyam': 'the Rājasūya sacrifice (royal consecration asserting sovereignty)', 'kṛtam': 'performed

• accomplished', 'ca': 'and', 'tadā': 'then', 'na āśaṃse': 'I do not hope

• I have no expectation', 'vijayāya': 'for victory', 'sañjaya': 'O Sañjaya (address to the charioteer-messenger)'}

Characters & Entities

• Pāṇḍuputra (Pāṇḍavas)
• Bhūmipāla (subdued kings)
• Rājasūya (sacrifice)
• Sañjaya

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how political power in the epic is reinforced by both force (digvijaya, subduing kings) and ritual legitimacy (the Rājasūya). When a rival secures both, mere ambition without comparable dharmic and institutional support becomes hollow, leading to loss of confidence and moral-political isolation.

What is happening in the narrative?

The speaker reports hearing that the Pāṇḍavas, during their digvijaya, forcibly subdued many rulers and then successfully performed the Rājasūya. Addressing Sañjaya, he concludes that this combination of military dominance and consecratory ritual leaves him with no hope of victory.