Shloka 20

Śakuni–Duryodhana-saṃvāda: Dyūta-yojanā (Śakuni and Duryodhana on Planning the Dice-Game)

Devanagari script

विराटद्रुपदौ चोभौ शकुनिं च बृहद्धलम्‌ । विन्दानुविन्दावावन्त्यौ पाण्ड्यं श्वेतमथोत्तरम्‌

Transliteration

virāṭa-drupadau cobhau śakuniṁ ca bṛhaddhalam | vindānuvindāv āvantyau pāṇḍyaṁ śvetam athottaram ||

Translation

Śiśupāla fuhr fort mit seiner spitzen Aufzählung berühmter Könige und Krieger—Virāṭa und Drupada, Śakuni und Bṛhaddhala; dazu die Brüder Vinda und Anuvinda aus Avanti; ferner der Pāṇḍya-Herrscher, Śveta und Uttara.

Word by Word

• विराट: Virata
• विराट: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: विराट
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• द्रुपदौ: the two Drupadas / Drupada (dual form as in text)
• द्रुपदौ: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रुपद
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Dual

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• उभौ: both
• उभौ: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उभ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Dual

• शकुनिम्: Shakuni
• शकुनिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शकुनि
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• बृहद्धलम्: Brihaddhala (proper name; lit. 'great-armed/with great force')
• बृहद्धलम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बृहद्धल
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• विन्द: Vinda
• विन्द: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: विन्द
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अनुविन्दौ: the two Anuvindas / Anuvinda (dual form as in text)
• अनुविन्दौ: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनुविन्द
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Dual

• आवन्त्यौ: the two Avantis (Avanti princes) / belonging to Avanti (dual)
• आवन्त्यौ: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आवन्त्य
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Dual

• पाण्ड्यम्: the Pandya (king)
• पाण्ड्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्ड्य
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• श्वेतम्: Shveta (proper name)
• श्वेतम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्वेत
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अथ: then/and also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• उत्तरम्: Uttara (proper name)
• उत्तरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्तर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

शिशुपाल उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Virāṭa
• Drupada
• Śakuni
• Bṛhaddhala
• Vinda
• Anuvinda
• Avanti
• Pāṇḍya (king)
• Śveta
• Uttara

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores how public honor in a royal assembly is weighed against the presence and standing of many rulers; ethical judgment in politics is not private but performed before peers, where reputation, alliances, and rightful conduct (dharma) are continually assessed.

What is happening in the narrative?

Śiśupāla is naming prominent kings and warriors present or relevant to the occasion, using the roll-call as a rhetorical device to strengthen his critique and to highlight that the decision of honoring someone is being made in the sight of many powerful witnesses.