Shloka 38
Ādi Parva, Adhyāya 113 — Maryādā-sthāpana (Śvetaketu’s Boundary) and the Niyoga Deliberation of Pāṇḍu and Kuntī
ये पुरा कुरुराष्ट्राणि जहुः कुरुधनानि च । ते नागपुरसिंहेन पाण्डुना करदीकृता:,जिन राजाओंने पहले कुरुदेशके धन तथा कुरुराष्ट्रका अपहरण किया था, उनको हस्तिनापुरके सिंह पाण्डुने करद बना दिया
ye purā kururāṣṭrāṇi jahuḥ kurudhanāni ca | te nāgapurasiṁhena pāṇḍunā karadīkṛtāḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana said: Those kings who in former times had seized the territories of the Kuru realm and carried off the wealth of the Kurus—Pāṇḍu, the lion of Nāgapura (Hastināpura), brought them under tribute. Thus, by restoring Kuru sovereignty and making aggressors answerable, he re-established political order through rightful royal power.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights rājadharma: a righteous king restores order by curbing aggressors and reasserting lawful sovereignty, not merely through conquest but by making wrongdoing accountable (here, through tribute).
Vaiśampāyana describes Pāṇḍu’s political-military success: kings who had earlier usurped Kuru lands and wealth were subdued and compelled to pay tribute to Hastināpura under Pāṇḍu’s authority.