Shloka 2
Jarāsandha as Obstacle to the Rājasūya — Kṛṣṇa’s Strategic Genealogical Brief
Sabhā Parva, Adhyāya 13
राजर्षीणां च त॑ श्रुत्वा महिमानं महात्मनाम् | यज्वनां कर्मभि: पुण्यैलोकप्राप्तिं समीक्ष्य च,राजसूययज्ञ करनेवाले महात्मा राजर्षियोंकी वैसी महिमा सुनकर तथा पुण्यकर्मोंद्वारा उत्तम लोकोंकी प्राप्ति होती देखकर एवं यज्ञ करनेवाले राजर्षि हरिश्वन्द्रका महान् तेज (तथा विशेष वैभव एवं आदर-सत्कार) सुनकर उनके मनमें राजसूययज्ञ करनेकी इच्छा हुई
rājarṣīṇāṃ ca tac chrutvā mahimānaṃ mahātmanām | yajvanāṃ karmabhiḥ puṇyair lokaprāptiṃ samīkṣya ca | rājasūyayajñaṃ karṇevāle mahātmā rājarṣīṇāṃ vaśī mahimā śrutvā tathā puṇyakarmabhir uttamalokānāṃ prāptir bhavatīti dṛṣṭvā ca, yajñaṃ kurvato rājarṣeḥ hariścandrasya mahān tejaḥ (tathā viśeṣa-vaibhavam ādarasatkāraṃ ca) śrutvā tasya manasi rājasūyayajñaṃ kartuṃ icchā jātaiva
Vaiśampāyana dit : Ayant entendu la grandeur de ces sages royaux à l’âme magnanime, et constaté que, par les actes méritoires des sacrifiants, on atteint des mondes élevés, et ayant encore appris l’éclat extraordinaire—avec la prospérité particulière et les honneurs—du sage royal Hariścandra, qui accomplit le sacrifice, le désir d’accomplir le Rājasūya s’éveilla en son esprit.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how exemplary models of dharmic kingship—royal sages famed for merit and ritual accomplishment—can inspire a ruler to pursue great acts. It links ethical action (puṇya-karman) with both social honour and the belief in attaining higher realms (lokaprāpti), showing how reputation and moral causality motivate political-religious ambition.
Vaiśampāyana narrates that, after hearing about the glory of royal sages and seeing that sacrificers gain exalted worlds through meritorious deeds—especially hearing of Hariścandra’s splendour and honour from sacrifice—a king’s desire arises to perform the Rājasūya (imperial) sacrifice.