Shloka 13
Dhṛtarāṣṭra–Duryodhana Dialogue on Peace and the Refusal of Compromise
रथो वेदी ख्रुवः खड्गो गदा स्लरुक् कवचोडजिनम् | चातुर्ोत्रं च धुर्या मे शरा दर्भा हविर्यश:,इसमें रथ ही वेदी है, खड़ग खुवा है, गदा खुक् है, कवच मृगचर्म है, रथका भार वहन करनेवाले मेरे चारों घोड़े ही चार होता हैं, बाण कुश हैं और यश ही हविष्य है
ratho vedī dhruvaḥ khaḍgo gadā sruk kavacājinaṃ | cāturotraṃ ca dhuryā me śarā darbhā havir yaśaḥ ||
দুৰ্যোধনে ক’লে—মোৰ ৰথেই বেদী, মোৰ খড়্গেই খ্ৰুৱ (স্থিৰ স্তম্ভ); মোৰ গদাই স্ৰুৱ (আহুতি-চামচ), মোৰ কবচেই মৃগচৰ্ম। ৰথ বহন কৰা মোৰ চাৰি ঘোঁৰাই চাৰি হোতা; মোৰ শৰ দৰ্ভ, আৰু মোৰ যশেই হৱিষ্য।
दुर्योधन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse shows how Duryodhana reinterprets sacred Vedic sacrifice as a metaphor for warfare, revealing an ethical inversion: ritual symbols meant for dharma are appropriated to sanctify aggression and the pursuit of fame.
In Udyoga Parva, as the conflict moves toward war, Duryodhana speaks in a defiant, self-affirming tone, describing his martial preparations as if they were components of a yajña—chariot as altar, weapons as ritual implements, and fame as the offering.