Shloka 74
Adhyāya 31: Rājasūya-samāgama — The Gathering of Kings and the Ordering of Hospitality
(लड़कामभिमुखो राजन् समुद्रमवलोकयत् ।।
laṅkām abhimukho rājan samudram avalokayat | kūrma-grāha-jhaṣākīrṇaṁ nakrair mīnais tathākulam ||
Vaiśaṃpāyana said: “O King, as he set out facing Laṅkā, Ghaṭotkaca looked upon the ocean. It was crowded with turtles, crocodiles, great aquatic creatures, and swarms of fish.” The scene underscores the vastness of the crossing and the formidable natural world that frames his diplomatic mission—an errand undertaken not for conquest alone, but to gather lawful tribute for Yudhiṣṭhira’s Rājasūya, a rite that demands recognition of rightful sovereignty.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse supports the ethical frame of the episode: political authority (for the Rājasūya) is pursued through recognized channels—sending a messenger for tribute—while the immense ocean imagery highlights humility before forces larger than oneself, a reminder that power should operate within dharma rather than mere violence.
Ghaṭotkaca, acting as Sahadeva’s envoy for Yudhiṣṭhira’s Rājasūya preparations, travels toward Laṅkā and pauses to behold the ocean, described as densely populated with aquatic creatures—setting the scene for his arrival and diplomatic encounter with Vibhīṣaṇa.