Shloka 163
जयद्रथविमोचन–पलायनवृत्तान्तः
Recovery of Draupadī and Jayadratha’s flight
पार्श्वस्थांश्वापि नृपतीन् वशे चक्रे महाबल: । इसके बाद सूतपुत्र महाबली कर्णने चेदिदेशमें जाकर शिशुपालके पुत्रको हराया और उसके पार्श्ववर्ती नरेशोंको भी अपने अधीन कर लिया
pārśvasthāṁś cāpi nṛpatīn vaśe cakre mahābalaḥ |
Vaiśampāyana said: The mighty one also brought the neighboring kings under his control. In the narrative context, this line underscores the expanding reach of royal power through conquest and subjugation—an ethically charged motif in the Mahābhārata, where political success is often weighed against the demands of dharma and the consequences of coercive rule.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the reality of political expansion through force, inviting reflection on rajadharma: power can unify or dominate, and the Mahābhārata repeatedly probes whether conquest aligns with dharma or merely displays might.
The speaker reports that a powerful figure has subdued not only a principal opponent but also the surrounding kings, consolidating regional control by bringing neighboring rulers into subjection.