Shloka 16
जयद्रथ-निग्रहः — Jayadratha Restrained, Shamed, and Released
तेन त्वं यज राजेन्द्र शुणु चेद॑ं वचो मम । य इमे पृथिवीपाला: करदास्तव पार्थिव
tena tvaṁ yaja rājendra śṛṇu cedam vaco mama | ya ime pṛthivīpālāḥ karadās tava pārthiva ||
Vaiśampāyana dit : «Ainsi donc, ô le meilleur des rois, rends le culte au moyen de cela, et écoute mes paroles. Ô seigneur de la terre, à ces souverains qui te versent tribut—adresse un ordre.»
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames righteous kingship as combining ritual responsibility (yajña/worship) with orderly governance: a king may command tributary rulers, but the command is presented as counsel aimed at a sanctioned purpose rather than mere accumulation.
Vaiśampāyana addresses a king, urging him to perform worship using a specified means and to heed further advice. He points to subordinate rulers who pay tribute and indicates that the king should issue them instructions—setting up the next action involving tribute and its intended use.