Shloka 31

Droṇa’s Ācārya-Dakṣiṇā: Capture of Drupada and Division of Pāñcāla (द्रोण-आचार्यदक्षिणा)

Devanagari script

जनमेजय! तदनन्तर दुर्योधनने गंगातटपर जल-विहारके लिये ऊनी और सूती कपड़ोंके विचित्र एवं विशाल गृह तैयार कराये

Transliteration

Janamejaya! tadanantara Duryodhanena Gaṅgā-taṭe jala-vihārāya ūṇī-sūtī-vastraiḥ vicitraṃ ca viśālaṃ ca gṛhaṃ nirmāpayām āsa.

Translation

Vaiśampāyana sprach: „O Janamejaya, danach ließ Duryodhana am Ufer der Gaṅgā für Wasserspiele einen kunstvoll hergerichteten, weiten Pavillon errichten, ausgestattet mit vielfältigen Woll- und Baumwollstoffen.“

Word by Word

• जनमेजय: O Janamejaya
• जनमेजय: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनमेजय
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• अनन्तरम्: after that; thereafter
• अनन्तरम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनन्तर

• दुर्योधनः: Duryodhana
• दुर्योधनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्योधन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• गङ्गा-तट-परम्: on the bank of the Ganga
• गङ्गा-तट-परम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गङ्गातटपर
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• जल-विहारकाय: for water-sport/bathing recreation
• जल-विहारकाय: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: जलविहारक
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• ऊनी: woollen (of)
• ऊनी: Sambandha
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ऊनिन्
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• सूती: cotton (of)
• सूती: Sambandha
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सूति/सूतिक
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• कपडानाम्: of garments/cloths
• कपडानाम्: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपड
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• विचित्राणि: variegated; splendid
• विचित्राणि: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विचित्र
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• विशालानि: large; spacious
• विशालानि: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विशाल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• गृहाणि: houses; pavilions
• गृहाणि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• तैयार: ready; prepared
• तैयार: Karma
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तैयार

• कारयामास: caused to be made; had (them) constructed
• कारयामास: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Periphrastic perfect (āmāsa-construction), 3rd, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• वैशम्पायन (Vaiśampāyana)
• जनमेजय (Janamejaya)
• दुर्योधन (Duryodhana)
• गङ्गा (Gaṅgā)
• गङ्गातट (bank of the Gaṅgā)
• जलविहार (water-sport)
• ऊन-वस्त्र (woollen cloth)
• सूती-वस्त्र (cotton cloth)
• विशाल गृह (spacious pavilion/house)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how indulgence and display of wealth can become tools of status and rivalry; in the Mahābhārata’s ethical frame, such outward splendor often precedes inner tensions—envy, competition, and the erosion of restraint (dama).

What is happening in the narrative?

After a preceding event, Duryodhana arranges a large, ornate structure on the Gaṅgā’s bank for water recreation, outfitted with woollen and cotton textiles—setting the scene for courtly leisure that can also serve as a stage for comparison and contest.