Shloka 9
Virāṭa’s Mobilization to Recover the Cattle (गोधनरक्षणार्थ विराटस्य सैन्यसमायोजनम्)
“मैं समझता हूँ; इसके लिये उपयुक्त अवसर प्राप्त हुआ है। यह हमारे लिये अत्यन्त आवश्यक कार्य है। हम प्रचुर धन-धान्यसे सम्पन्न मत्स्यराष्ट्रपर चढ़ाई करें ।।
vaiśampāyana uvāca | “manye; asya kṛte yuktam avasaram prāptam asti | etad asmākaṁ atyantaṁ āvaśyakaṁ kāryam | vayaṁ prabhūta-dhana-dhānya-sampannaṁ matsya-rāṣṭram abhyāyāmaḥ || ādādāmo ’sya ratnāni vividhāni vasūni ca | grāmān rāṣṭrāṇi vā tasya hariṣyāmo vibhāgaśaḥ || rājā virāṭa—iha nānā-vidhāni ratnāni dhanaṁ ca santi | tāni sarvāṇi gṛhītvā tasya grāmān samagraṁ rāṣṭraṁ ca jitvā parasparaṁ vibhajiṣyāmaḥ”
Vaiśampāyana dijo: «A mi juicio, ha llegado el momento oportuno para ello. Es una tarea de urgente necesidad para nosotros. Marchemos contra el reino de Matsya, rico en grano y en riquezas. Nos apoderaremos de sus muchas clases de joyas y bienes; nos llevaremos sus aldeas e incluso todo su reino, repartiendo el botín entre nosotros. El rey Virāṭa posee aquí abundantes tesoros y riquezas: tomándolo todo, conquistando sus asentamientos y el país entero, lo distribuiremos entre nosotros.»
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights the ethical danger of framing aggression and plunder as “necessary work” and “timely opportunity.” It implicitly contrasts expedient, wealth-driven conquest with dharmic restraint, reminding readers how greed and political calculation can normalize adharma.
The speaker (as narrated by Vaiśampāyana) reports a proposal to attack the prosperous Matsya kingdom ruled by Virāṭa, seize jewels and valuables, and divide the captured villages and territory among the attackers as shares of booty.