Adhyaya 19 — Kartavirya Arjuna at Dattatreya’s Ashram: Boons, Sovereignty, and Vaishnava Praise
इत्युक्तः प्रीतिमान् देवस्ततस्तं प्रत्युवाच ह ।
कार्तवीर्यं महाभागं वशीकृतमहीतलम् ॥
ity uktaḥ prītimān devas tatas taṃ pratyuvāca ha / kārtavīryaṃ mahābhāgaṃ vaśīkṛta-mahītalam
Así interpelado, el ser divino, colmado de afecto, le respondió entonces—al muy afortunado Kārtavīrya, que había puesto la tierra bajo su dominio.
Power becomes worthy of blessing when joined with discrimination and humility; divine pleasure follows insight, not mere conquest.
Vaṃśānucarita-style narrative affirmation of a king’s stature; it uses royal accomplishment as backdrop for spiritual testing and instruction.
‘Subjugating the earth’ is external mastery; the divine reply marks the transition to inner confirmation—recognition that the king is not subjugated by māyā even while ruling the world.