Shloka 28
Jarāsandha–Vāsudeva Saṃvāda: Kṣātra-Dharma, Pride, and the Ethics of Coercion
Sabhā Parva, Adhyāya 20
उत्तीर्य सर॒यूं रम्यां दृष्टवा पूर्वाश्ष कोसलान् | अतीत्य जम्मुर्मिथिलां पश्यन्तो विपुला नदी:
uttīrya sarayūṃ ramyāṃ dṛṣṭvā pūrvāṃś ca kosalān | atītya jambūṃ mithilāṃ paśyanto vipulā nadīḥ ||
Vaiśaṃpāyana said: Having crossed the lovely river Sarayū and having seen the eastern regions of Kosala, they went beyond Jambū and reached Mithilā, observing many broad rivers along the way. The passage emphasizes purposeful travel marked by endurance and restraint—moving forward without indulgence, attentive to the land and its crossings, as part of a larger journey shaped by duty and circumstance.
वैशग्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights disciplined forward movement—crossing obstacles (rivers, regions) with steadiness and attentiveness. Ethically, it suggests perseverance and restraint: one proceeds according to one’s larger duty and situation, without being diverted by comfort or fear.
The travelers cross the Sarayū, pass through eastern Kosala, go beyond a place called Jambū, and arrive at Mithilā while observing many large rivers on the route. It functions as a geographical and narrative transition marking progress in their journey.