Shloka 4

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

Devanagari script

सुकुमारं वशे चक्रे सुमित्रं च नराधिपम्‌ । तथैवापरमत्स्यांश्ष व्यजयत्‌ स पटच्चरान्‌

Transliteration

sukumāraṁ vaśe cakre sumitraṁ ca narādhipam | tathaivāparamatsyāṁś ca vyajayat sa paṭaccarān |

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: He brought King Sukumāra under his control, and likewise King Sumitra. In the same way he subdued the remaining Matsya chiefs and defeated the marauding bandits.

Word by Word

• सुकुमारम्: Sukumāra (name), as object
• सुकुमारम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुकुमार
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• वशे: in (his) control/subjection
• वशे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वश
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• चक्रे: made, brought (into)
• चक्रे: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), Third, Singular, Ātmanepada

• सुमित्रम्: Sumitra (name), as object
• सुमित्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुमित्र
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

• नराधिपम्: the king (lord of men)
• नराधिपम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नराधिप
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• तथा: thus, likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

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

• अपरमत्स्यान्: other Matsyas (people of Matsya)
• अपरमत्स्यान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपर-मत्स्य
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

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

• व्यजयत्: conquered, defeated
• व्यजयत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: जि
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पटच्चरान्: robbers, marauders
• पटच्चरान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पटच्चर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Sukumāra
• Sumitra
• Matsya (people/region)
• paṭaccarāḥ (bandits/marauders)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores a kingly duty (rājadharma): establishing order by bringing rival rulers into lawful submission and suppressing banditry. Legitimate force is portrayed as serving stability and protection, contrasting with predatory violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the account narrated by Vaiśampāyana, the conquering leader subdues King Sukumāra and King Sumitra, then defeats remaining Matsya leaders and roaming marauders, as part of a wider campaign of regional subjugation.