Shloka 9
Adhyāya 48 — Duryodhana’s Account of Tribute and the Provisioned Court (सभा पर्व, अध्याय ४८)
तेन चैव मयेनोक्ता: किंकरा नाम राक्षसा: | वहन्ति तां सभां भीमास्तत्र का परिदेवना
tena caiva mayenoktāḥ kiṅkarā nāma rākṣasāḥ | vahanti tāṃ sabhāṃ bhīmās tatra kā paridevanā ||
Duryodhana sprach: „Durch ihn—und auch durch mich—wurde verkündet, es gebe furchterregende Rākṣasas namens Kiṅkaras. Diese schrecklichen Wesen tragen jene Versammlungshalle. Wenn dem so ist, wo bliebe da Raum für Klage?“
दुर्योधन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a rhetorical stance of suppressing lament by appealing to an asserted explanation of extraordinary events. Ethically, it reflects how pride and rivalry can reframe wonder or discomfort into dismissive certainty, discouraging honest reflection.
In the context of the famed assembly-hall, Duryodhana refers to a claim that fearsome rākṣasas called Kiṅkaras are the bearers of the hall. He uses this to argue that there is no reason to grieve or complain about what is being witnessed or discussed.