Srimad Bhagavatam — Dashama Skandha, Shloka 50

Balarāma Humbles the Kurus and Rescues Sāmba

Devanagari script

दुर्योधन: पारिबर्हं कुञ्जरान् षष्टिहायनान् । ददौ च द्वादशशतान्ययुतानि तुरङ्गमान् ॥ ५० ॥ रथानां षट्‍सहस्राणि रौक्‍माणां सूर्यवर्चसाम् । दासीनां निष्ककण्ठीनां सहस्रं दुहितृवत्सल: ॥ ५१ ॥

Transliteration

duryodhanaḥ pāribarhaṁ kuñjarān ṣaṣṭi-hāyanān dadau ca dvādaśa-śatāny ayutāni turaṅgamān

Translation

Duryodhana, being very affectionate to his daughter, gave as her dowry 1,200 sixty-year-old elephants, 120,000 horses, 6,000 golden chariots shining like the sun, and 1,000 maidservants with jeweled lockets on their necks.

Synonyms

• duryodhanaḥ: Duryodhana
• duryodhanaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: duryodhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; proper noun

• pāribarham: dowry/gifts (wedding presents)
• pāribarham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāribarha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• kuñjarān: elephants
• kuñjarān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kuñjara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• ṣaṣṭi-hāyanān: sixty-year-old
• ṣaṣṭi-hāyanān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ṣaṣṭi (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + hāyana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural; tatpuruṣa: ‘of sixty years’ (sixty-year-old) qualifying kuñjarān

• dadau: gave
• dadau: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dā (दा)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person, Singular

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• dvādaśa-śatāni: twelve hundreds
• dvādaśa-śatāni: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvādaśa (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + śata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural; dvigu: ‘twelve hundreds’ (=1200)

• ayutāni: ten-thousands
• ayutāni: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ayuta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural; numeral noun ‘ten-thousands’

• turaṅgamān: horses
• turaṅgamān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: turaṅgama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

Characters & Entities

• Duryodhana

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about royal marriage gifts in Canto 10?

In this verse, Śukadeva describes the extraordinary scale of royal marriage gifts—mature elephants and vast numbers of horses—showing the opulence surrounding the events of Kṛṣṇa’s time.

Why did Duryodhana give such massive gifts in Srimad Bhagavatam 10.68?

The verse presents Duryodhana as offering an immense dowry-like gift as part of the marriage proceedings, reflecting royal prestige and political display within the broader narrative.

What is a practical lesson from this shloka about wealth and devotion?

Material wealth and grandeur are portrayed as impressive yet external; a devotee can learn to value inner dharma and devotion above displays of power or opulence.