Shloka 396
य इमां पृथिवीं सर्वा चर्मवत्समवेष्टयत् । सृंजय! जिन्होंने इस सम्पूर्ण पृथ्वीको चमड़ेकी भाँति लपेट लिया था (सर्वथा अपने अधीन कर लिया था), वे उशीनरपुत्र राजा शिबि भी मरे थे, यह हमने सुना है
ya imāṃ pṛthivīṃ sarvāṃ carmavatsamaveṣṭayat | sṛñjaya! uśīnaraputraḥ rājā śibi api mṛtaḥ, iti vayaṃ śrutavantaḥ ||
Vāyu disse: “Ó Sṛñjaya, ouvimos dizer que até o rei Śibi, filho de Uśīnara—que abrangera e mantivera toda a terra como se a envolvesse em couro, submetendo-a inteiramente ao seu domínio—também encontrou a morte. Assim, nem os soberanos mais poderosos estão isentos da mortalidade.”
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even the greatest rulers who subdue the entire earth cannot escape death; therefore one should cultivate detachment and orient life toward dharma rather than pride in power or possession.
Vāyudeva addresses Sṛñjaya and cites the example of King Śibi—renowned and powerful enough to ‘encompass the earth’—to emphasize that mortality overtakes all, including exemplary and world-conquering kings.