Shloka 5
Adhyāya 31: Rājasūya-samāgama — The Gathering of Kings and the Ordering of Hospitality
निषादभूमिं गोशूडूं पर्वतप्रवरं तथा । तरसैवाजयद्ू धीमान् श्रेणिमन्तं च पार्थिवम्
vaiśampāyana uvāca |
niṣādabhūmiṁ gośūḍūṁ parvatapravaraṁ tathā |
tarasāivājayad dhīmān śreṇimantaṁ ca pārthivam |
பின்னர் அறிவுடைய சகதேவன் நிஷாத நிலத்தையும், ‘கோஷூடு’ எனப்படும் பகுதியையும், சிறந்த மலைப்பகுதியையும் விரைவாகக் கைப்பற்றினான்; மேலும் வேகத்தோடு அரசன் ஶ்ரேணிமானையும் தோற்கடித்தான்।
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse supports the rājasūya framework: a king’s political dharma includes establishing a unified order by compelling submission of neighboring rulers and frontier regions; the emphasis on 'tarasā' (swift force) highlights decisive action as a tool of statecraft, though the broader narrative expects such conquest to culminate in acknowledged sovereignty and tribute rather than mere destruction.
During the Pāṇḍavas’ rājasūya preparations, Sahadeva is on a conquest circuit. Here he rapidly subdues the Niṣāda territory and associated regions (including Gośūḍū and a prominent mountain tract) and then defeats King Śreṇimān.