Shloka 31

Devanagari script

मया हि राजन्‌ सदिगीश्वरा दिशो विजित्य सर्वा भवतः कृता वशे

Transliteration

mayā hi rājan sadigīśvarā diśo vijitya sarvā bhavataḥ kṛtā vaśe

Translation

Sañjaya said: “O King, I indeed conquered all the quarters—together with their guardian lords—and brought them entirely under your control.”

Word by Word

मयाby me

हिindeed/for

राजन्O king

सthose

दिगीश्वराःlords of the quarters (directional rulers)

दिशःdirections/quarters

विजित्यhaving conquered

सर्वाःall

भवतःof you/your

कृताःmade/placed

वशेunder control/in subjection

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

King (Dhṛtarāṣṭra, implied by address ‘rājan’)

Digīśvaras / Dikpālas (lords/guardians of the directions, implied)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how claims of conquest and sovereignty are framed as total domination—‘all directions’ made subject to a king. Ethically, it invites reflection on the difference between rightful rule (dharma-based protection) and rule grounded in coercive expansion and pride.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports a warrior’s assertion of having conquered the entire world symbolically (‘all quarters with their lords’) and placing it under the king’s authority, reinforcing the atmosphere of martial boasting and political power-claims within the war narrative.