Shloka 19

Bhīmasena’s Digvijaya and Tribute Return (भीमस्य दिग्विजयः धननिवेदनं च)

Devanagari script

अभिसारीं ततो रम्यां विजिग्ये कुरुनन्दन: । उरगावासिनं चैव रोचमानं रणेडजयत्‌,इसके बाद कुरुनन्दन धनंजयने रमणीय अभिसारी नगरीपर विजय पायी और उरगावासी राजा रोचमानको भी युद्धमें परास्त किया

Transliteration

abhisārīṁ tato ramyāṁ vijigye kurunandanaḥ | uragāvāsinaṁ caiva rocamānaṁ raṇe ’jayat |

Translation

वैशम्पायन बोले—इसके बाद कुरुनन्दन धनंजय ने रमणीय अभिसारी नगरी को जीत लिया और उरगों के देश में रहने वाले राजा रोचमान को भी रण में परास्त किया।

Word by Word

अभिसारीम्Abhisārī (city)

ततःthen, thereafter

रम्याम्beautiful, delightful

विजिग्येconquered

कुरुनन्दनःthe delight of the Kurus (Arjuna)

उरगावासिनम्dwelling among serpents / of Uraga-dwelling (epithet)

चand

एवindeed, also

रोचमानम्Rocamāna (king)

रणेin battle

अजयत्defeated, conquered

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Kurunandana (Arjuna/Dhanañjaya)

Abhisārī (city/region)

Rocamāna

Uragas (serpent-people/serpent-dwellers)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse reflects kṣatriya- and rāja-dharma in action: a ruler’s champion establishes political stability by subduing hostile or independent powers. Martial success is presented as instrumental—serving a broader lawful order rather than mere personal aggression.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates Arjuna’s campaign of victories: he conquers the beautiful city/region called Abhisārī and then defeats in battle a king named Rocamāna, described as ‘uragāvāsin’—associated with the Uragas (serpent-dwellers).