Shloka 36
Adhyāya 31: Rājasūya-samāgama — The Gathering of Kings and the Ordering of Hospitality
ततः प्रभृति ये केचिदज्ञानात् तां पुरी नृपा: । जिगीषन्ति बलाद राजंस्ते दहान्ते सम वह्निना,राजन! तभीसे जो कोई नरेश अज्ञानवश उस पुरीको बलपूर्वक जीतना चाहते, उन्हें अग्निदेव जला देते थे
tataḥ prabhṛti ye kecid ajñānāt tāṃ purīṃ nṛpāḥ | jigīṣanti balād rājaṃs te dahyante sama-vahninā ||
Từ đó về sau, tâu Đại vương, bất cứ bậc quân vương nào vì vô minh mà toan chiếm lấy thành ấy bằng vũ lực, đều bị chính ngọn lửa ấy thiêu rụi.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse warns that conquest driven by ignorance and brute force, without rightful understanding or restraint, leads to ruin; moral order is upheld by consequences that can appear as divine punishment.
Vaiśampāyana states that after a certain event, any kings who tried to capture that city by force were burned by the same fire, implying the city was under a fiery, divine protection that repelled aggressors.