Shloka 9
Virāṭa-parva Adhyāya 22 — Draupadī’s Abduction Attempt and Bhīma’s Suppression of the Kīcakas
प्रवादेनेह मत्स्यानां राजा नाम्नायमुच्यते । अहमेव हि मत्स्यानां राजा वै वाहिनीपति:,“राजा विराट तो कहनेके लिये ही मत्स्यदेशका नाममात्रका राजा है। वास्तवमें मैं ही यहाँका राजा हूँ; क्योंकि सेनाका मालिक मैं हूँ
pravādeneiha matsyānāṁ rājā nāmnāyam ucyate | aham eva hi matsyānāṁ rājā vai vāhinīpatiḥ ||
Waiśampāyana berkata: “Di sini, menurut pembicaraan umum, Virāṭa disebut raja Matsya hanya sebatas nama. Sesungguhnya akulah raja di sini—sebab akulah panglima dan penguasa bala tentara.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the difference between nominal authority and real power: titles may belong to one person, but effective rule can rest with whoever controls the military force, raising ethical questions about legitimacy and governance.
In the Matsya context, a speaker asserts that Virāṭa is regarded as king only by convention, while the speaker claims true kingship on the basis of being the army’s commander (vāhinīpati), indicating a power dynamic within the kingdom.