Shloka 20

Dambhodbhava, Nara-Nārāyaṇa, and the Counsel to Abandon Hubris

Udyoga-parva 94

Devanagari script

सैन्धवश्न कलिड्जश्च काम्बोजश्न सुदक्षिण: । युधिष्ठिरो भीमसेन: सव्यसाची यमौ तथा

Transliteration

saindhavaś ca kaliṅgaś ca kāmbojaś ca sudakṣiṇaḥ | yudhiṣṭhiro bhīmasenaḥ savyasācī yamau tathā |

Translation

আর যে পক্ষে সিন্ধুরাজ জয়দ্রথ, কলিঙ্গরাজ, কাম্বোজাধিপ সুদক্ষিণ, যুধিষ্ঠির, ভীমসেন, সব্যসাচী অর্জুন এবং যমজ নকুল-সহদেব আছেন—এমন এক পক্ষের মহাবলীদের বিরুদ্ধে কোন বিবেকহীন রাজা যুদ্ধের সাহস করবে?

Word by Word

• सैन्धवः: the Sindhu-king (Jayadratha)
• सैन्धवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सैन्धव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)

• कलिङ्गः: the king of Kalinga
• कलिङ्गः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)

• काम्बोजः: the king of Kamboja
• काम्बोजः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम्बोज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)

• सुदक्षिणः: Sudakṣiṇa (name of the Kamboja ruler)
• सुदक्षिणः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुदक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• युधिष्ठिरः: Yudhiṣṭhira
• युधिष्ठिरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भीमसेनः: Bhīmasena
• भीमसेनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीमसेन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सव्यसाची: Savyasācī (Arjuna)
• सव्यसाची: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सव्यसाचिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• यमौ: the twins (Nakula and Sahadeva)
• यमौ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• तथा: also/likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)

• भरतश्रेष्ठ: O best of the Bharatas
• Type: Noun
• Root: भरत-श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Jayadratha (Saindhava, Sindhurāja)
• Kaliṅga (king of Kaliṅga)
• Kāmboja
• Sudakṣiṇa
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Bhīmasena (Bhīma)
• Arjuna (Savyasācī)
• Nakula
• Sahadeva

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores political and ethical prudence: when a side is supported by renowned, powerful warriors, opposing it is portrayed as a sign of विपरीत बुद्धि (perverse or unsound judgment). It implies that wise kings weigh strength, alliances, and consequences before choosing war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana continues a description of the formidable warriors aligned in the coming conflict, naming key kings and the Pāṇḍava heroes. The rhetorical question emphasizes the overwhelming martial capacity of such a coalition and frames any decision to fight them as reckless.