Shloka 17
जयद्रथविमोचन–पलायनवृत्तान्तः
Recovery of Draupadī and Jayadratha’s flight
आव्न्त्यांश्व॒ वशे कृत्वा साम्ना च भरतर्षभ । वृष्णिभि: सह संगम्य पश्चिमामपि निर्जयत्,भरतश्रेष्ठ] तदनन्तर उसने सामनीतिके द्वारा अवन्तीदेशके राजाओंको वशमें करके वृष्णिवंशी यादवोंसे हिल-मिलकर पश्चिम दिशापर भी विजय प्राप्त की
Āvantyān sva-vaśe kṛtvā sāmnā ca bharatarṣabha | Vṛṣṇibhiḥ saha saṅgamya paścimām api nirjayat ||
Vaiśaṃpāyana said: “O bull among the Bharatas, after bringing the rulers of Avanti under his control through conciliation and prudent diplomacy, and then joining in alliance with the Vṛṣṇi Yādavas, he also went on to subdue the western quarter.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights nīti (statecraft) aligned with dharma: effective rule need not rely solely on force; conciliation and alliance-building (sāmna and saṅgama) can achieve political aims with less harm, reflecting a preference for measured, ethically mindful governance.
The narrator reports a campaign sequence: first, the Avanti rulers are brought under control through diplomatic conciliation; next, an alliance is formed with the Vṛṣṇi Yādavas; then, supported by this association, the protagonist extends victory to the western regions as well.