Shloka 136
Śiśupāla’s Protest Against the Arghya to Kṛṣṇa (शिशुपाल-आक्षेपः)
राजानो राजपुत्राश्न नानाजनपदेश्वरा: । धृतराष्ट्र, भीष्म, महाबुद्धिमान् विदुर, दुर्योधन आदि सभी भाई, गान्धारराज सुबल, महाबली शकुनि, अचल, वृषक, रथियोंमें श्रेष्ठ कर्ण, बलवान् राजा शल्य, महाबली बाह्लिक, सोमदत्त, कुरुनन्दन भूरि, भूरिश्रवा, शाल, अभश्वत्थामा, कृपाचार्य, द्रोणाचार्य, सिन्धुराज जयद्रथ, पुत्रोंसहित ट्रपद, राजा शाल्व, प्राग्ज्योतिषपुरके नरेश महारथी भगदत्त, जिनके साथ समुद्रके टापुओंमें रहनेवाले सब जातियोंके म्लेच्छ भी थे, पर्वतीय नृपतिगण, राजा बृहद्वधल, पौण्ड्रक वासुदेव, वंगदेशके राजा, कलिंगनरेश, आकर्ष, कुन्तल, मालव आन्दध्र, द्राविड और सिंहलदेशके नरेशगण, काश्मीरनरेश, महातेजस्वी कुन्तिभोज, राजा गौरवाहन, बाह्लिक, दूसरे शूर नृपतिगण, अपने दोनों पुत्रोंके साथ विराट, महाबली मावेल्ल तथा नाना जनपदोंके शासक राजा एवं राजकुमार उस यज्ञमें पधारे थे
vaiśampāyana uvāca | rājāno rājaputrāś ca nānājanapadeśvarāḥ | dhṛtarāṣṭro bhīṣmo mahābuddhimān viduro duryodhanādayaś ca bhrātaraḥ | gāndhārarājaḥ subalaḥ mahābalī śakuniḥ | acalaḥ vṛṣakaḥ rathināṃ śreṣṭhaḥ karṇaḥ | balavān rājā śalyaḥ mahābalī bāhlikaḥ somadattaḥ kurunandanaḥ bhūriḥ bhūriśravāḥ śālaḥ aśvatthāmā kṛpācāryaḥ droṇācāryaḥ | sindhurājaḥ jayadrathaḥ | putraiḥ saha drupadaḥ rājā śālvaḥ | prāgjyotiṣapurasya nareśo mahārathī bhagadattaḥ | samudradvīpanivāsinaḥ sarvajātīyā mlecchāś ca | pārvatīyā nṛpatayaḥ rājā bṛhadvadhaḥ pauṇḍrako vāsudevaḥ | vaṅgadeśasya rājānaḥ kaliṅganareśaḥ | ākarṣaḥ kuntalaḥ mālavaḥ āndhraḥ drāviḍaḥ siṃhaladeśanareśāḥ | kāśmīranareśaḥ mahātejasvī kuntibhojaḥ rājā gauravāhanaḥ bāhlikādayaś ca anye śūrā nṛpatayaḥ | ubhābhyāṃ putrābhyāṃ saha virāṭaḥ mahābalī māvellaḥ ca | nānājanapadeśvarā rājānaś ca rājaputrāś ca tasmin yajñe samāgatāḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana said: Kings and princes—lords of many realms—came together for that sacrifice. There were Dhṛtarāṣṭra and Bhīṣma, the wise Vidura, Duryodhana and his brothers; the king of Gandhāra, Subala, and the mighty Śakuni; Acala and Vṛṣaka; Karṇa, foremost among chariot-warriors; the powerful king Śalya; the mighty Bāhlika; Somadatta; Bhūri and Bhūriśravas, sons of the Kurus; Śāla; Aśvatthāmā; Kṛpa and Droṇa; Jayadratha, king of Sindhu; Drupada with his sons; king Śālva; and Bhagadatta, the great chariot-warrior, ruler of Prāgjyotiṣa, accompanied even by Mleccha peoples dwelling on oceanic islands. Mountain kings also arrived—Bṛhadvadha, Pauṇḍraka Vāsudeva, the kings of Vaṅga and Kaliṅga, and rulers of Ākarṣa, Kuntala, Mālava, Āndhra, Drāviḍa, and Siṃhala; the king of Kāśmīra; the radiant Kuntibhoja; Gauravāhana; and other heroic Bāhlikas. Virāṭa came with his two sons, as did the mighty Māvella, along with many other rulers and princes from diverse countries. The scene displays royal power gathered around a ritual act—an outward show of dharma and legitimacy—while also foreshadowing how such assemblies of prestige can conceal rivalry and the seeds of future conflict.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how yajña and royal assemblies function as public markers of dharma and sovereignty, yet the ethical tension lies in the contrast between outward ritual legitimacy and the inner rivalries of power that can lead to adharma and conflict.
Vaiśampāyana enumerates the many kings, princes, and renowned warriors who arrived from diverse regions to attend the great sacrificial event, emphasizing the scale of the gathering and the political reach of the occasion.