Shloka 19

Bhīṣma’s Admonition; Duryodhana’s Rājasūya Aspiration and the Proposal of a Vaiṣṇava-satra

Devanagari script

भारत! तदनन्तर दुर्योधनने अपने सहस्रों सेवकोंको आज्ञा दी--'तुमलोग बहुत-से क्रीडामण्डप तैयार करो” ।। ते तथेत्येव कौरव्यमुक्त्वा वचनकारिण: । चिकीर्षन्तस्तदा55क्रीडाञ्जम्मुर्दतवनं सर:,आज्ञाकारी सेवक दुर्योधनसे “तथास्तु'” कहकर क्रीडाभवन बनानेकी इच्छासे द्वैतवनके सरोवरके निकट गये

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | te tathety eva kauravya-muktvā vacana-kāriṇaḥ | cikīrṣantas tadā krīḍān jagmur dvaitavanaṁ saraḥ ||

Translation

قال فايشَمبايانا: ثم إنّ دُريودَهَنَة أمر ألوف خَدَمه قائلاً: «أعِدّوا كثيراً من أجنحة اللهو واللعب». فأجاب أولئك الأتباع المطيعون من رجال الكورو: «سمعاً وطاعة»، وانطلقوا قاصدين ترتيب أسباب المتعة. ومضوا إلى البحيرة في غابة دْفَيتَفَنَة ليهيّئوا أروقة السرور كما أُمِروا.

Word by Word

तेthey

तथाthus

इतिso/quoting marker

एवindeed/just

कौरव्यम्to the Kaurava (Duryodhana)

उक्त्वाhaving said

वचनकारिणःobedient (doers of the word)

चिकीर्षन्तःwishing to do/make

तदाthen

क्रीडान्play-places/sporting (halls/grounds)

जग्मुःthey went

द्वैतवनम्to Dvaitavana (the forest named Dvaita)

सरःlake

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Janamejaya (implied by address kauravya)

Duryodhana

Kauravas

servants/attendants

Dvaitavana

lake (saraḥ)

krīḍāmaṇḍapa (pleasure pavilion; from the prose context)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the power dynamics of kingship: subordinates quickly execute a ruler’s wishes. Ethically, it invites reflection on how obedience can become complicity when commands serve arrogance or provocation rather than self-restraint and dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Duryodhana’s attendants respond ‘tathāstu’ and go to Dvaitavana’s lake to set up arrangements for games/pleasures—preparing pavilions and amusements as part of the unfolding encounter in the forest setting.