Shloka 7

Adhyāya 52 (Sabhā-parva): Vidura Invites Yudhiṣṭhira to Hastināpura for the Dice Match

Devanagari script

पर्वतीया बलिं चान्यमाहृत्य प्रणता: स्थिता: । अजाततशभत्रोर्नुपतेर्द्धारि तिष्ठन्ति वारिता:

Transliteration

parvatīyā baliṁ cānyam āhṛtya praṇatāḥ sthitāḥ | ajātaśatror nṛpater dhāri tiṣṭhanti vāritāḥ ||

Translation

Duryodhana sprach: „Nachdem sie den Bergtribut und andere Gaben herbeigebracht haben, stehen sie dort mit gesenktem Haupt. Und doch, obwohl sie bereit sind, alles darzubringen, werden sie am Tor des Königs Ajātaśatru (Yudhiṣṭhira) zurückgehalten.“

Word by Word

पर्वतीयाःmountain(-dwelling) (ones)

बलिम्tribute, offering

चand

अन्यम्another, other

आहृत्यhaving brought

प्रणताःbowed down, submissive

स्थिताःstood, remained

अजातशत्रोःof Ajātaśatru (Yudhiṣṭhira; 'one whose enemy is not born')

नृपतेःof the king

द्वारिat the door, at the gate

तिष्ठन्तिthey stand

वारिताःprevented, held back

Speaker

दुर्योधन उवाच

Characters & Entities

द

दुर्योधन (Duryodhana)

अ

अजातशत्रु (Ajātaśatru / Yudhiṣṭhira)

ब

बलि (tribute/offering)

द

द्वार/धारि (gate/entrance)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how outward signs of sovereignty—tribute, submission, and controlled access to the king—can inflame envy and rivalry. Ethically, it points to the danger of measuring worth through status and public honor, a mindset that fuels resentment and conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Duryodhana describes rulers or emissaries who have arrived with tribute and stand respectfully, but are being stopped at Yudhiṣṭhira’s gate. He uses this scene to emphasize Yudhiṣṭhira’s growing imperial stature and to express his own agitation at the spectacle of others’ submission to the Pāṇḍava king.