Shloka 12
नकुलस्य प्रतीची-दिग्विजयः
Nakula’s Conquest of the Western Quarter
चेदिराजो5पि तच्छुत्वा पाण्डवस्य चिकीर्षितम् । उपनिष्क्रम्य नगरात् प्रत्यगृह्नात् परंतप,महता बलचक्रेण परराष्ट्रावमर्दिना । हस्त्यश्वरथपूर्णेन दंशितेन प्रतापवान् २ ।। वृतो भरतशार्टूलो द्विषच्छोकविवर्द्धन: । वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--जनमेजय! इसी समय शत्रुओंका शोक बढ़ानेवाले भरतवंशशिरोमणि महाप्रतापी एवं पराक्रमी भीमसेन भी धर्मराजकी आज्ञा ले, शत्रुके राज्यको कुचल देनेवाली और हाथी, घोड़े एवं रथसे भरी हुई, कवच आदिसे सुसज्जित विशाल सेनाके साथ पूर्व दिशाको जीतनेके लिये चले परंतप! चेदिराज शिशुपालने भी पाण्डुकुमार भीमका अभिप्राय जानकर नगरसे बाहर आ स्वागत-सत्कारके साथ उन्हें अपनाया
vaiśampāyana uvāca |
cedirājo 'pi tac chrutvā pāṇḍavasya cikīrṣitam |
upaniṣkramya nagarāt pratyagṛhṇāt paraṃtapa |
mahatā balacakreṇa pararāṣṭrāvamardinā |
hasty-aśva-ratha-pūrṇena daṃśitena pratāpavān ||
vṛto bharataśārdūlo dviṣacchoka-vivardhanaḥ |
Vaiśampāyana said: “O scorcher of foes! The king of Cedi too, having heard what the Pāṇḍava intended, came out of the city and received him with due welcome. That mighty hero—tiger among the Bharatas, increaser of his enemies’ grief—was attended by a vast, well-armed host, a wheel of forces that crushed hostile kingdoms, filled with elephants, horses, and chariots, and arrayed in armor.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even in a context of conquest, kṣatriya conduct is framed by rajadharma: a ruler responds to another ruler’s declared intent with appropriate reception and political propriety. The verse highlights the ethical norm of honoring guests and acknowledging legitimate authority and purpose, alongside the reality of force.
Bhīma (the Pāṇḍava hero) proceeds with a large, well-armed army for a campaign of subjugation; hearing of his intention, Śiśupāla, king of Cedi, comes out of the city and formally receives him, signaling welcome, respect, and likely political alignment.