Shloka 21

Dyūta-āhvāna: Śakuni’s Proposal, Vidura’s Warning, and the Summons of Yudhiṣṭhira

Sabhā-parva 51

Devanagari script

इन्द्रगोपकवर्णाभाउछुकवर्णान्‌ मनोजवान्‌

Transliteration

indragopaka-varṇābhā uccuka-varṇān manojavān

Translation

Duryodhana beschreibt sie: von leuchtender Farbe wie das Insekt indragopaka, von der Tönung des Vogels uccuka, schnell wie der Geist.

Word by Word

• इन्द्रगोपकवर्णाभाः: having the hue/appearance of indragopa (insect) color (reddish)
• इन्द्रगोपकवर्णाभाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इन्द्रगोपकवर्णाभ (इन्द्रगोप + वर्ण + आभा)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• उच्छुकवर्णान्: of the color of sugarcane (pale/greenish)
• उच्छुकवर्णान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उच्छुकवर्ण (उच्छुक + वर्ण)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• मनोजवान्: swift as the mind
• मनोजवान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मनोजव (मनस् + जव)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

Speaker

दुर्योधन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• दुर्योधन (Duryodhana)
• इन्द्रगोपक (indragopaka insect)
• उच्चुक (uccuka bird)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how fascination with outward brilliance and exceptional capability (beauty, speed, power) can feed possessiveness and ambition; ethically, it warns that valuing such qualities without restraint or dharmic purpose can intensify envy and lead toward harmful choices.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Sabha Parva context, Duryodhana is speaking while describing remarkable beings/objects with vivid color imagery and extraordinary swiftness, underscoring his amazement and the desire to possess or command such excellence—an attitude that aligns with his growing jealousy and political intent.