Shloka 48
समन्तपञ्चक-आख्यानम् तथा अक्षौहिणी-प्रमाणनिर्णयः
Samantapañcaka Narrative and the Measure of an Akṣauhiṇī
पर्व दिग्विजयादूर्ध्व राजसूयिकमुच्यते । ततश्चार्धाभिहरणं शिशुपालवधस्तत:,तदनन्तर राजसूय, अर्घाभिहरण और शिशुपाल-वधपर्व कहे गये हैं
parva digvijayād ūrdhvaṁ rājasūyikam ucyate | tataś cārdhābhiharaṇaṁ śiśupālavadhas tataḥ |
After the section describing the conquest of the quarters (digvijaya), the narrative proceeds to what is called the Rājasūya-sacrifice section. Thereafter come the episode of offering the arghya (honorary oblation) and then the slaying of Śiśupāla. The sequence highlights how royal ambition is ritually framed, how rightful honor is publicly discerned, and how arrogance and hostility toward dharma culminate in decisive retribution.
राम उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage underscores a moral progression: political power (digvijaya) is legitimized through ritual order (Rājasūya), true worth is recognized through rightful honor (arghya), and persistent adharma expressed as arrogance and abuse meets its consequence (Śiśupāla’s death).
It outlines the sequence of episodes: after the digvijaya section comes the Rājasūya section; then the arghya-offering episode; and then the episode of Śiśupāla’s slaying.