Shloka 35
अध्याय ९५: चित्राङ्गदस्य गन्धर्वेण सह संग्रामः तथा विचित्रवीर्यस्य राज्याभिषेकः
Chitrāṅgada’s duel with the Gandharva and Vicitravīrya’s consecration
आरक्षे संवरणे राजन् प्रशासति वसुंधराम् । संक्षय: सुमहानासीत् प्रजानामिति न: श्रुतम्,जनमेजय! ऋक्षपुत्र संवरण जब इस पृथ्वीका शासन कर रहे थे, उस समय प्रजाका बहुत बड़ा संहार हुआ था, ऐसा हमने सुना है
ārakṣe saṃvaraṇe rājan praśāsati vasuṃdharām | saṃkṣayaḥ sumahān āsīt prajānām iti naḥ śrutam, janamejaya |
Vaiśampāyana dit : «Ô roi Janamejaya, nous avons entendu dire que lorsque Saṃvaraṇa, fils de Ṛkṣa, régnait et protégeait la terre, une très grande destruction s’abattit sur les peuples.»
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores rajadharma: a king’s foremost duty is to protect and govern for the welfare of the people, yet it also cautions that societal catastrophe can occur even during a reign—highlighting the seriousness of rulership and the vulnerability of subjects.
Vaiśaṃpāyana addresses King Janamejaya and reports a traditional account: during King Saṃvaraṇa’s rule over the earth, a massive destruction of the populace took place.