Shloka 22
ततः पुण्ड्राधिपं वीरं॑ वासुदेव॑ं महाबलम् | कौशिकीकच्छनिलयं राजानं च महौजसम्,महाराज! तत्पश्चात् भीमसेन पुण्ड्रकदेशके अधिपति महाबली वीर राजा वासुदेवके साथ, जो कोसी नदीके कछारमें रहनेवाले तथा महान् तेजस्वी थे, जा भिड़े। वे दोनों ही बलवान् एवं दुःसह पराक्रमवाले वीर थे। भीमने विपक्षी वासुदेव (पौण्ड्रक)-को युद्धमें हराकर वंगदेशके राजापर आक्रमण किया
tataḥ pauṇḍrādhipaṃ vīraṃ vāsudevaṃ mahābalam | kauśikīkacchanilayaṃ rājānaṃ ca mahaujasam ||
Vaiśampāyana said: Thereafter Bhīmasena engaged in battle with Vāsudeva, the mighty hero who ruled the land of Puṇḍra and dwelt in the marshy lowlands along the Kauśikī (Kosi). Both were powerful and hard to withstand in valor. Bhīma overcame the opposing Vāsudeva in combat and then advanced to attack the king of Vaṅga—an episode that underscores the relentless, duty-driven momentum of the campaign, where royal prowess and the ethics of kṣatriya warfare are tested through direct confrontation.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights kṣatriya-dharma in practice: rulers and warriors are measured by courage, endurance, and adherence to the martial code in direct combat, while the campaign’s onward drive reflects the political-ethical logic of conquest in epic society.
Bhīmasena meets and fights Vāsudeva, the powerful ruler of Puṇḍra who lives near the Kauśikī (Kosi) river’s marshlands. Bhīma defeats him and then proceeds to attack the king of Vaṅga as the campaign continues.