Shloka 48
समन्तपञ्चक-आख्यानम् तथा अक्षौहिणी-प्रमाणनिर्णयः
Samantapañcaka Narrative and the Measure of an Akṣauhiṇī
पर्व दिग्विजयादूर्ध्व राजसूयिकमुच्यते । ततश्चार्धाभिहरणं शिशुपालवधस्तत:,तदनन्तर राजसूय, अर्घाभिहरण और शिशुपाल-वधपर्व कहे गये हैं
parva digvijayād ūrdhvaṁ rājasūyikam ucyate | tataś cārdhābhiharaṇaṁ śiśupālavadhas tataḥ |
Après la section qui raconte la conquête des quatre directions (digvijaya), le récit se poursuit dans ce qu’on appelle la section du sacrifice du Rājasūya. Viennent ensuite l’épisode de l’offrande de l’arghya, oblation d’honneur, puis la mise à mort de Śiśupāla. Cet enchaînement montre comment l’ambition royale est cadrée par le rite, comment l’honneur légitime se reconnaît au grand jour, et comment l’orgueil et l’hostilité envers le dharma aboutissent à une rétribution sans appel.
राम उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage underscores a moral progression: political power (digvijaya) is legitimized through ritual order (Rājasūya), true worth is recognized through rightful honor (arghya), and persistent adharma expressed as arrogance and abuse meets its consequence (Śiśupāla’s death).
It outlines the sequence of episodes: after the digvijaya section comes the Rājasūya section; then the arghya-offering episode; and then the episode of Śiśupāla’s slaying.