Shloka 11
असंतोष: श्रियो मूलं तस्मात् तं कामयाम्यहम् । समुच्छूये यो यतते स राजन् परमो नयः
asaṃtoṣaḥ śriyo mūlaṃ tasmāt taṃ kāmayāmy aham | samucchūye yo yatate sa rājan paramo nayaḥ ||
দুৰ্যোধনে ক’লে—“অসন্তোষেই সমৃদ্ধিৰ মূল; সেয়ে মই সেই মনোভাৱকেই কামনা কৰোঁ। ৰাজন! যি জনে অধিকতর উচ্চতালৈ উঠিবলৈ নিৰন্তৰ চেষ্টা কৰে, সিয়েই পৰম নীতি অনুসৰণ কৰে।”
दुर्योधन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse presents a hard-edged nīti claim: prosperity is driven by asaṃtoṣa—restless dissatisfaction that pushes one to keep advancing. It frames continual striving for higher status as “supreme policy,” highlighting an ethic of ambition rather than contentment.
Duryodhana is articulating his political outlook to a kingly interlocutor, justifying relentless upward striving as the best strategy. In the Sabha Parva context, this reflects his competitive, status-driven mindset that fuels rivalry and escalates conflict.