Shloka 23

Jarāsandha–Bhīma Niyuddha-prastāvaḥ

Commencement of the Regulated Duel

Devanagari script

पर्यग्न्यकुर्वश्च नृपं द्विरदस्थं पुरोहिता: । ततस्तच्छान्तये राजा जरासंध: प्रतापवान्‌ | दीक्षितो नियमस्थोडसावुपवासपरो5भवत्‌,पुरोहितोंने राजाको हाथीपर बिठाकर उसके चारों ओर प्रज्वलित आग घुमायी। प्रतापी राजा जरासंधने अनिष्टकी शान्तिके लिये व्रतकी दीक्षा ले नियमोंका पालन करते हुए उपवास किया

Transliteration

Vaiśampāyana uvāca: paryagnyakurvaś ca nṛpaṃ dviradasthaṃ purohitāḥ | tatas tacchāntaye rājā Jarāsaṃdhaḥ pratāpavān dīkṣito niyamastho 'sāv upavāsaparo 'bhavat ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: The priests performed a rite of circumambulating the king—seated upon an elephant—with consecrated fire. Then, to pacify that ominous influence, the mighty king Jarāsandha undertook a vow-initiation; abiding by prescribed restraints, he devoted himself to fasting.

Word by Word

• {'vaiśampāyana uvāca': 'Vaiśampāyana said', 'purohitāḥ': 'household/royal priests

• officiants', 'nṛpam': 'the king', 'dviradasthaṃ': 'seated on an elephant (dvirada = elephant

• -stha = situated)', 'paryagnyakurvan': 'they performed the paryagni rite

• they circumambulated with fire / carried fire around', 'tatas': 'then

• thereafter', 'tacchāntaye': 'for the pacification of that (omen/evil)

• for appeasement', 'rājā': 'the king', 'jarāsaṃdhaḥ': 'Jarāsandha (king of Magadha)', 'pratāpavān': 'mighty

• powerful', 'dīkṣitaḥ': 'initiated/consecrated for a vow or rite', 'niyamasthaḥ': 'abiding in restraints

• observing prescribed rules', 'upavāsaparaḥ': 'devoted to fasting', 'abhavat': 'became

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Jarāsandha
• purohitāḥ (priests)
• nṛpa (the king)
• dvirada (elephant)
• agni (fire)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames royal responsibility in dharmic terms: when confronted with perceived inauspiciousness, a ruler should seek communal welfare through sanctioned ritual (śānti) and personal restraint (niyama, upavāsa), showing that power is meant to be governed by sacred order and self-discipline.

What is happening in the narrative?

The priests conduct a pacificatory rite by moving consecrated fire around the king while he sits on an elephant. After this, Jarāsandha undertakes a formal vow-initiation and observes strict rules, especially fasting, to neutralize the feared ill effect.