Shloka 31
दुर्योधनस्य बलिवर्णनम् — Duryodhana’s Description of Tribute at the Rājasūya
वल्लिमेव प्रवेक्ष्यामि भक्षयिष्यामि वा विषम् | अपो वापि प्रवेक्ष्यामि न हि शक्ष्यामि जीवितुम्,मैं आगमें प्रवेश कर जाऊँगा, विष खा लूँगा अथवा जलमें डूब मरूँगा, अब मैं जीवित नहीं रह सकूँगा
vallīm eva pravekṣyāmi bhakṣayiṣyāmi vā viṣam | apo vāpi pravekṣyāmi na hi śakṣyāmi jīvitum ||
Duryodhana, von Schmach und Verzweiflung überwältigt, erklärt, er werde entweder in ein loderndes Feuer gehen, Gift schlucken oder sich ins Wasser stürzen, um zu ertrinken—denn in seiner gegenwärtigen Entehrung meint er, nicht weiterleben zu können.
दुर्योधन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how attachment to status and wounded pride can drive a person toward destructive choices. Ethically, it contrasts resilience and accountability with escapism: when one’s identity is built on domination and prestige, humiliation can trigger extreme reactions rather than self-correction.
Duryodhana speaks in a moment of intense frustration and shame, declaring that he will end his life by fire, poison, or drowning. It is a rhetorical outburst that reveals his inner turmoil and the volatility that fuels the larger conflict.