Shloka 18
Ārjava, Satya, and the Virocana–Sudhanvan Exemplum
Udyoga-parva 35
दुःशासनस्तूपहतो 5$भिशस्तो नावर्तते मन्युवशात् कृतघ्न: । न कस्यचिन्मित्रमथो दुरात्मा कलाश्रैता अधमस्येह पुंस:
duḥśāsanas tūpahato'bhīśasto nāvartate manyuvaśāt kṛtaghnaḥ | na kasyacin mitram atho durātmā kalāśraitā adhamasyeha puṁsaḥ ||
Der Schwan sprach: «Wer wie Duḥśāsana ist—gewalttätig und unterdrückerisch, gescholten und entehrt—lässt, vom Zorn getrieben, nicht ab vom Verleumden. Undankbar für empfangene Wohltaten, ohne Freunde und innerlich verdorben, klammert er sich an niedrige Künste und krumme Wege. Dies sind die Kennzeichen, an denen man in dieser Welt den gemeinen Mann erkennt.»
हंस उवाच
Educational Q&A
A person becomes ‘adhama’ (vile) through recognizable ethical failures: acting under anger, persisting in blame and harm, denying gratitude, lacking genuine friendship, and relying on deceitful or base ‘arts’ rather than dharmic conduct.
In a didactic passage spoken by the Haṁsa, Duḥśāsana is cited as an example to define the traits of a morally degraded person, using his reputation to warn against anger-driven malice, ingratitude, and corrupt companionship.