Shloka 16
नकुलस्य प्रतीची-दिग्विजयः
Nakula’s Conquest of the Western Quarter
ततो भीमस्तत्र राजन्नुषित्वा त्रिदश क्षपा: । सत्कृत: शिशुपालेन ययौ सबलवाहन:,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 राजन्! उसके बाद शिशुपालसे सम्मानित हो भीमसेन अपनी सेना और सवारियोंके साथ तेरह दिन वहाँ रह गये। तत्पश्चात् वहाँसे विदा हुए
tato bhīmas tatra rājan uṣitvā tridaśa kṣapāḥ | satkṛtaḥ śiśupālena yayau sa-balavāhanaḥ, mahatā balacakreṇa para-rāṣṭrāvamardinā | hastyaśva-ratha-pūrṇena daṃśitena pratāpavān || vṛto bharataśārṭūlo dviṣacchoka-vivardhanaḥ |
Vaiśampāyana said: “Then Bhīma, O King, having stayed there for thirteen nights and having been honored by Śiśupāla, set out with his troops and mounts. Mighty and radiant, he marched with a vast, well-armed battle-array—filled with elephants, horses, and chariots—an army fit to crush hostile kingdoms. Thus the tiger among the Bharatas, increaser of his enemies’ grief, departed to carry out the king’s command and advance the campaign of conquest.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights kṣatriya-dharma in a political setting: a warrior-leader acts under legitimate royal instruction, maintains discipline and preparedness, accepts due honor without attachment, and proceeds to fulfill a larger state purpose (the conquest campaign connected with royal sovereignty).
Bhīma stays for thirteen nights where he is received and honored by Śiśupāla; afterward he departs with a large, well-equipped force—elephants, horses, and chariots—in a battle formation intended to subdue hostile kingdoms, continuing the campaign of conquest.