Previous Verse
Next Verse

Shloka 19

Jarāsandha as Obstacle to the Rājasūya — Kṛṣṇa’s Strategic Genealogical Brief

Sabhā Parva, Adhyāya 13

वैशम्पायन उवाच स मन्त्रिण: समानाय्य क्षातृश्व वदतां वर: | राजसूयं प्रति तदा पुन: पुनरपृच्छत,वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--जनमेजय! वक्ताओंमें श्रेष्ठ राजा युधिष्ठिरे उस समय अपने मन्त्रियों और भाइयोंको बुलाकर उनसे बार-बार पूछा--'राजसूययज्ञके सम्बन्धमें आपलोगोंकी क्‍या सम्मति है?”

vaiśampāyana uvāca |

sa mantriṇaḥ samānāyya kṣātrṛś ca vadatāṃ varaḥ |

rājasūyaṃ prati tadā punaḥ punar apṛcchata ||

Vaiśampāyana said: Then Yudhiṣṭhira—foremost among speakers and a true kṣatriya—summoned his ministers and his brothers and repeatedly asked them their considered opinion regarding the Rājasūya sacrifice.

वैशम्पायनःVaiśampāyana
वैशम्पायनः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootवैशम्पायन
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
उवाचsaid
उवाच:
TypeVerb
Rootवच्
FormPerfect, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada
सःhe
सः:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
मन्त्रिणःministers/counsellors
मन्त्रिणः:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootमन्त्रिन्
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
समानाय्यhaving summoned/assembled
समानाय्य:
TypeVerb
Rootसम्-आ-नी
Formल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)
क्षातृश्वO Kṣātriśva (Janamejaya)
क्षातृश्व:
TypeNoun
Rootक्षातृश्व
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
वदताम्of speakers (of those who speak)
वदताम्:
TypeVerb
Rootवद्
Formशतृ (present active participle), Masculine/Neuter (genitive plural form), Genitive, Plural
वरःthe best/excellent
वरः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootवर
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
राजसूयम्Rājasūya (sacrifice)
राजसूयम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootराजसूय
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
प्रतिtowards/about
प्रति:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootप्रति
तदाthen
तदा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतदा
पुनःagain
पुनः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootपुनः
पुनःagain (repeatedly)
पुनः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootपुनः
अपृच्छत्asked
अपृच्छत्:
TypeVerb
Rootप्रच्छ्
FormImperfect, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

वैशम्पायन उवाच

V
Vaiśampāyana
J
Janamejaya
Y
Yudhiṣṭhira
M
ministers (mantriṇaḥ)
B
brothers (Pāṇḍavas implied by context)
R
Rājasūya (sacrifice)

Educational Q&A

A righteous ruler does not act on ambition alone; he seeks informed counsel and repeatedly tests the decision, especially when the act (like the Rājasūya) affects legitimacy, power, and the welfare of many.

Yudhiṣṭhira convenes his ministers and brothers and asks them again and again for their opinion about undertaking the Rājasūya sacrifice, signaling deliberation before a major political-religious undertaking.