Shloka 22

Rājasūya-sambhāra: Prosperity under Rājadharma and the Initiation of Yudhiṣṭhira’s Sacrifice

Devanagari script

ततः पुण्ड्राधिपं वीरं॑ वासुदेव॑ं महाबलम्‌ | कौशिकीकच्छनिलयं राजानं च महौजसम्‌

Transliteration

tataḥ pauṇḍrādhipaṃ vīraṃ vāsudevaṃ mahābalam | kauśikīkacchanilayaṃ rājānaṃ ca mahaujasam ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana berkata: Sesudah itu Bhīmasena bertempur dengan Vāsudeva, wira perkasa yang memerintah negeri Puṇḍra dan bersemayam di dataran paya yang rendah di sepanjang Kauśikī (Kosi). Kedua-duanya kuat dan sukar ditahan keberaniannya. Bhīma menewaskan Vāsudeva yang menjadi lawannya di medan perang, lalu mara menyerang raja Vaṅga—suatu peristiwa yang menegaskan gerak kempen yang tidak mengenal henti, digerakkan oleh dharma, ketika keperwiraan raja dan etika peperangan kṣatriya diuji melalui pertembungan berdepan.

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (तद्-प्रातिपदिकात्)
• Form: Avyaya

• पुण्ड्र-अधिपम्: the lord of Puṇḍra
• पुण्ड्र-अधिपम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधिप (प्रातिपदिकम्)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• वीरम्: the hero
• वीरम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वीर (प्रातिपदिकम्)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• वासुदेवम्: Vāsudeva
• वासुदेवम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासुदेव (प्रातिपदिकम्)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• महा-बलम्: of great strength
• महा-बलम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिकम्)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• कौशिकी-कच्छ-निलयम्: dwelling in the sandbanks (floodplain) of the Kauśikī (river)
• कौशिकी-कच्छ-निलयम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निलय (प्रातिपदिकम्)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• राजानम्: the king
• राजानम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिकम्)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च
• Form: Avyaya

• महा-ओजसम्: of great vigor/splendor
• महा-ओजसम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ओजस् (प्रातिपदिकम्)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Bhīmasena
• Vāsudeva (king of Puṇḍra)
• Puṇḍra (Pauṇḍra-deśa)
• Kauśikī (Kosi) river
• Kaccha (marshy tract/riverine lowland)
• Vaṅga (kingdom)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights kṣatriya-dharma in practice: rulers and warriors are measured by courage, endurance, and adherence to the martial code in direct combat, while the campaign’s onward drive reflects the political-ethical logic of conquest in epic society.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīmasena meets and fights Vāsudeva, the powerful ruler of Puṇḍra who lives near the Kauśikī (Kosi) river’s marshlands. Bhīma defeats him and then proceeds to attack the king of Vaṅga as the campaign continues.