Shloka 31
Draupadī-apaharaṇa-saṃdeśaḥ
Report of Draupadī’s Abduction and the Pāṇḍavas’ Pursuit
गतायामथ तस्यां तु राजा दुर्योधनस्तदा । स्वप्रभूतमिदं सर्वमचिन्तयत भारत
gatāyām atha tasyāṃ tu rājā duryodhanas tadā | svaprabhūtam idaṃ sarvam acintayat bhārata ||
قال فَيْشَمْبَايَنَا: لما انصرفت، أخذ الملك دُريودهَنَةُ في ذلك الحين يتأمل الأمر كله على أنه استعراضٌ لسلطانه هو—يا سليلَ بهاراتا—فحوّل اللحظة إلى حسابٍ للغلبة لا إلى نظرٍ في الاستقامة والحق.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how a ruler’s mind can interpret events through the lens of self-power (svaprabhūta), revealing pride and a tendency to prioritize dominance over dharma; it implicitly cautions that such self-centered calculation is ethically corrosive.
After a woman previously present has left, the narration notes Duryodhana’s immediate reaction: he mentally reviews the situation and frames it as evidence of his own strength and control, marking a shift from the event itself to his internal political-psychological response.