Shloka 23
अक्षदेवन-प्रवर्तनम् | Commencement of the Dice Game
यथातिमात्र कौन्तेय: श्रिया परमया युतः । राजसूयमवाप्यैवं हरिश्नन्द्र इव प्रभु:,कुन्तीनन्दन युधिष्ठिर राजसूययज्ञ पूर्ण करके अत्यन्त उच्चकोटिकी राजलक्ष्मीसे सम्पन्न हो गये हैं। ये शक्तिशाली महाराज हरिश्वन्द्रकी भाँति सुशोभित होते हैं
yathātimātra kaunteyaḥ śriyā paramayā yutaḥ | rājasūyam avāpyaivaṃ hariścandra iva prabhuḥ ||
কুন্তীনন্দন যুধিষ্ঠির রাজসূয় যজ্ঞ লাভ করে অতুল উচ্চ রাজলক্ষ্মীতে পরিপূর্ণ হয়েছেন। সেই পরাক্রান্ত প্রভু রাজা হরিশ্চন্দ্রের ন্যায় দীপ্তিমান হয়ে উঠেছেন।
दुर्योधन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how ritual and public recognition (the Rājasūya) confer visible sovereignty and prosperity, while also implying an ethical challenge: another’s success can become a trigger for envy, testing one’s self-control and dharmic disposition.
Duryodhana comments on Yudhiṣṭhira’s newly achieved grandeur after completing the Rājasūya, praising his splendor by comparing him to Hariścandra—an observation that, in context, feeds Duryodhana’s growing resentment in the royal assembly setting.