Mahabharata · 2.28.54–55
॥
Devanāgarī
एवं निर्जित्य तरसा सान्त्वेन विजयेन च ॥
करदान् पार्थिवान् कृत्वा प्रत्यागच्छद् अरिंदमः ॥
धर्मराजाय तत् सर्वं निवेद्य भरतर्षभ ॥
कृतकर्मा सुखं राजन्न् उवास जनमेजय ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
evaṃ nirjitya tarasā sāntvena vijayena ca ||
karadān pārthivān kṛtvā pratyāgacchad ariṃdamaḥ ||
dharmarājāya tat sarvaṃ nivedya bharatarṣabha ||
kṛtakarmā sukhaṃ rājann uvāsa janamejaya ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
एवं निर्जित्य तरसाevaṃ nirjitya tarasāhaving thus swiftly conquered —
सान्त्वेन विजयेन चsāntvena vijayena caby gentleness and by victory —
करदान् पार्थिवान् कृत्वाkaradān pārthivān kṛtvāhaving made the kings tributaries,
प्रत्यागच्छद् अरिंदमःpratyāgacchad ariṃdamaḥthe tamer of foes returned;
धर्म-राजाय तत् सर्वंdharma-rājāya tat sarvaṃto Dharmaraja all that
निवेद्य भरतर्षभnivedya bharatarṣabhahaving offered [reported], O bull of the Bharatas,
कृत-कर्मा सुखं राजन्न्kṛta-karmā sukhaṃ rājannhis task accomplished, happily, O king,
उवास जनमेजयuvāsa janamejayahe dwelt, O Janamejaya.
धर्मराजायdharmarājāyaoriginal form "dharmarājāya", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
कृतकर्माkṛtakarmāoriginal form "kṛtakarmā", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
Translation
Having thus swiftly conquered [all] — both by gentleness and by victory — and having made the kings tributaries, the tamer of foes returned. Having offered all that to Dharmaraja, O bull of the Bharatas, his task accomplished, he dwelt happily, O Janamejaya.
Version
907aa1f3ac0b · published Jul 16, 2026, 3:28:51 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The outcome of the southern campaign is summed up in two words: 'by gentleness and by victory' (santvena vijayena). This combination is significant — softness and strength together, neither without the other: where a word could persuade, the sword did not strike; where a word did not help, weapons spoke. And once again all that was gathered is 'offered to Dharmaraja' — the labor concludes in an offering, not in appropriation. The verse teaches that perfect rule is twofold: in it, gentleness and firmness are servants of one justice; and happy is he who, having accomplished what was entrusted to him and laid the fruits at the feet of his elder, attains the peace of a duty fulfilled.