Shloka 35
दुर्योधनस्य बलिवर्णनम् — Duryodhana’s Description of Tribute at the Rājasūya
अशक्तश्नैक एवाहं तामाहर्तु नृपश्रियम् । सहायांश्व न पश्यामि तेन मृत्युं विचिन्तये
aśaktaś caika evāhaṁ tām āhartum nṛpaśriyam | sahāyāṁś ca na paśyāmi tena mṛtyuṁ vicintaye ||
Duryodhana sprach: „Allein bin ich nicht imstande, jenes königliche Glück und die Herrschaft an mich zu reißen. Auch sehe ich keine tauglichen Verbündeten an meiner Seite; darum sinne ich über den Tod nach.“
दुर्योधन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Unchecked desire for power, when not grounded in dharma and supported by worthy counsel, breeds inner weakness and despair. The verse highlights how fixation on seizing “royal fortune” can collapse into self-destructive thinking rather than ethical self-correction.
In the Sabha Parva context, Duryodhana voices frustration and helplessness about obtaining or dominating royal prosperity. Feeling unable to achieve his political aim and lacking capable supporters, he turns to thoughts of death—an emotional low point that signals his volatile state and foreshadows further harmful choices.