Shloka 31
Śrāddha-Kalpa: Pitṛ-Pūjā and Tithi-Phala (श्राद्धकल्पः पितृपूजा च तिथिफलम्)
ततो जित्वा महीं कृत्स्नां रामो राजीवलोचन:
tato jitvā mahīṁ kṛtsnāṁ rāmo rājīvalocanaḥ | mahārāja! tataḥ samastaṁ pṛthivīṁ jitvā vīraḥ kamalanayanaḥ paraśurāmaḥ brāhmaṇaiḥ kṣatriyaiś ca satkṛtaṁ sarvakāmapradaṁ cāśvamedhayajñaṁ samājahāra ||
Dijo Bhīṣma: «Entonces, oh gran rey, Rāma —de ojos de loto y de ánimo heroico—, tras conquistar la tierra entera, celebró el sacrificio del Aśvamedha, rito honrado tanto por brahmanes como por kṣatriyas y tenido por capaz de colmar todos los fines deseados. El relato subraya que el poder soberano, una vez obtenido, se legitima mediante el rito y se encauza hacia el deber religioso sancionado, y no hacia la mera dominación».
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights that worldly conquest is not presented as an end in itself; it is followed by a Vedic sacrifice that confers social-religious legitimacy. Power is framed as accountable to dharma, mediated through ritual and recognition by both Brahmins and Kshatriyas.
Bhishma narrates that Paraśurāma (Rama), after conquering the whole earth, performs the Aśvamedha sacrifice—an eminent royal rite—described as honored by the leading social orders and as capable of fulfilling aims and desires.