Shloka 31
जयद्रथविमोचन–पलायनवृत्तान्तः
Recovery of Draupadī and Jayadratha’s flight
एवं विजित्य राजेन्द्र कर्ण: शस्त्रभूतां वर: । सपर्वतवनाकाशां ससमुद्रां सनिष्कुटाम्,महाराज! इस प्रकार शस्त्रधारियोंमें श्रेष्ठ सूतपुत्र कर्णने पर्वत, वन, खुले स्थान, समुद्र, उद्यान, ऊँचे-नीचे देश, पुर और नगर, द्वीप और जलयुक्त प्रदेशोंसे युक्त सारी पृथ्वीको जीतकर थोड़े ही समयमें समस्त राजाओंको वशमें कर लिया और उनसे अटूट धनराशि लेकर वह राजा धृतराष्ट्रके समीप आया
vaiśampāyana uvāca |
evaṁ vijitya rājendra karṇaḥ śastrabhūtāṁ varaḥ |
saparvatavanākāśāṁ sasamudrāṁ saniṣkuṭām ||
Vaiśampāyana said: “O best of kings, having thus conquered, Karṇa—the foremost among those who wield weapons—subdued the entire earth: with its mountains and forests, open tracts and skies, its seas and pleasure-groves.” (In context, the narrative continues that he quickly brought many kings under his control, extracted vast, unbroken tribute, and then approached King Dhṛtarāṣṭra—highlighting the political ethic of conquest and the moral tension between prowess, ambition, and the burdens imposed on other rulers.)
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds the kṣatriya ideal of martial excellence and imperial conquest, while implicitly raising ethical questions about sovereignty: victory brings fame and resources, but also entails subjugation of other rulers and the moral weight of coercive power used in service of a political cause.
Vaiśampāyana describes Karṇa’s successful campaign of conquest: he is portrayed as the foremost warrior who subdues the world’s regions (mountains, forests, seas, and groves). In the surrounding context, this conquest results in many kings being brought under control and tribute being collected, after which Karṇa goes to Dhṛtarāṣṭra.