Mahabharata 4.30.4 — Virata Parva, Adhyaya 30, Shloka 4
Virāṭa’s Mobilization to Recover the Cattle (गोधनरक्षणार्थ विराटस्य सैन्यसमायोजनम्)
असकृन्मत्स्यराज्ञा मे राष्ट्र बाधितमोजसा । प्रणेता कीचकस्तस्य बलवानभवत् पुरा
asakṛn matsyarājñā me rāṣṭraṃ bādhitam ojasā | praṇetā kīcakas tasya balavān abhavat purā ||
வைசம்பாயனர் கூறினார்— “மத்தியராஜன் தன் வலிமையை நம்பி பலமுறை என் முழு நாட்டையும் துன்புறுத்தினான். முன்னாளில் அவனுடைய வலிமைமிக்க சேனாதிபதி கீசகனே.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a political-ethical tension: unchecked reliance on sheer strength (ojas) leads to repeated harassment of other realms, implying that royal power should be restrained by dharma and responsible governance rather than aggression.
Vaiśampāyana reports that the Matsya king has repeatedly attacked and troubled the speaker’s kingdom, and notes that in earlier times the Matsya ruler’s chief military leader was the powerful Kīcaka—setting context for the military and political situation.
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