Shloka 20
आदि पर्व, अध्याय 139 — Hiḍimba’s Detection and Hiḍimbā’s Approach to Bhīma
त्रिवर्षकृतयज्ञस्तु गन्धर्वाणामुपप्लवे । अर्जुनप्रमुखै: पार्थ: सौवीर: समरे हत:,सौवीर देशका राजा, जो गन्धर्वोंके उपद्रव करनेपर भी लगातार तीन वर्षोतक बिना किसी विघ्न-बाधाके यज्ञोंका अनुष्ठान करता रहा, युद्धमें अर्जुन आदि पाण्डवोंके हाथों मारा गया। पराक्रमी राजा पाण्डु भी जिसे वशमें न ला सके थे, उस यवनदेश (यूनान)-के राजाको भी जीतकर अर्जुनने अपने अधीन कर लिया
trivarṣa-kṛta-yajñas tu gandharvāṇām upaplave | arjuna-pramukhaiḥ pārthaḥ sauvīraḥ samare hataḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana said: Even though the Gandharvas were causing disturbances, the king of Sauvīra had performed sacrificial rites continuously for three years without interruption; yet in battle he was slain by Pārtha (Arjuna) and the other Pāṇḍavas. The passage underscores a recurring Mahābhārata ethic: ritual merit and steadfast observance of sacrifice do not by themselves guarantee worldly security—kṣatriya power, political conflict, and the consequences of prior actions can still culminate in violent ends.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights that ritual steadfastness (continuous yajña) is ethically significant but does not automatically shield one from political and martial outcomes; in the Mahābhārata, dharma includes both ritual order and the hard realities of kṣatriya conflict and karmic consequence.
Vaiśampāyana reports that the king of Sauvīra, famed for conducting sacrifices for three uninterrupted years despite Gandharva disturbances, was nevertheless killed in battle by Arjuna and the other Pāṇḍavas.