Shloka 4
Yogakṣema, Purohita, and the Mucukunda–Vaiśravaṇa Dialogue (योगक्षेम–पुरोहित–मुचुकुन्दवैश्रवणसंवादः)
मुचुकुन्दो विजित्येमां पृथिवी पृथिवीपति: । जिज्ञासमान: स्वबलमभ्ययादलकाधिपम्,कहते हैं, पृथ्वीपति राजा मुचुकुन्दने इस पृथ्वीको जीतकर अपने बलकी परीक्षा लेनेके लिये अलकापति कुबेरपर चढ़ाई की
Mucukundo vijityemāṃ pṛthivīṃ pṛthivīpatiḥ | jijñāsamānaḥ svabalam abhyayād Alakādhipam ||
പൃഥിവീപതിയായ രാജാവ് മുചുകുന്ദൻ ഈ ഭൂമിയെ ജയിച്ച ശേഷം, തന്റെ ബലത്തിന്റെ അളവ് അറിയാൻ ആഗ്രഹിച്ച്, അലകയുടെ അധിപനായ കുബേരനെതിരേ പടയോട്ടം നടത്തി.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse hints at the ethical risk that follows success: conquest can lead to pride and the desire to prove oneself against higher and higher opponents. It sets up a reflection on restraint and right use of power—central concerns of the Śānti Parva’s dharma discourse.
Bhishma recounts that King Muchukunda, after subduing the earth, sought to gauge his own might and therefore advanced against Alakā’s lord, Kubera.