Shloka 14

Adhyāya 31: Rājasūya-samāgama — The Gathering of Kings and the Ordering of Hospitality

Devanagari script

मारुधं च विनिर्जित्य रम्यग्राममथो बलात्‌ | नाचीनानर्बुकांश्वैव राज्ञश्नेव महाबल:

Transliteration

mārudhaṃ ca vinirjitya ramyagrāmam atho balāt | nācīnān arbukāṃś caiva rājñaś caiva mahābalaḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Having forcefully subdued Mārudha and then the pleasant settlement called Ramyagrāma, the mighty one also brought under control the kings of the Nācīnas and the Arbukas.

Word by Word

• मारुधम्: Marudha (a king/region-name)
• मारुधम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मारुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• विनिर्जित्य: having conquered
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + √जि (जये)
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral in gerund)

• रम्यग्रामम्: the pleasant village/town (Ramyagrāma)
• रम्यग्रामम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रम्यग्राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अथ: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• बलात्: by force
• बलात्: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• नाचीनान्: the Nācinās (people/kings)
• नाचीनान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाचीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• अर्बुकान्: the Arbukas (people/kings)
• अर्बुकान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्बुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• एव: indeed/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• राज्ञः: of the king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• एव: also/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• महाबलः: mighty/very strong
• महाबलः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाबल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Sahadeva
• Mārudha
• Ramyagrāma
• Nācīnas
• Arbukas
• kings (rājānaḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse reflects a Mahābhārata theme of rājadharma: a ruler (or prince acting for a ruler) is expected to establish political order by bringing rival kings under control. The emphasis on conquest ‘by force’ highlights the kṣatriya mode of enforcing sovereignty, which the epic later evaluates ethically through the broader consequences of power and ambition.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates Sahadeva’s progress in a campaign of subjugation: he defeats Mārudha and Ramyagrāma, then overcomes the kings associated with the Nācīnas and Arbukas, extending the Pāṇḍavas’ influence through successive victories.