Shloka 34

Nala’s Embassy to Damayantī and the Gods’ Proposal (नलस्य दूतत्वं देवप्रस्तावश्च)

Devanagari script

निकृत्या निकृतिप्रज्ञो हन्तव्य इति निश्चय: । अनुज्ञातस्त्वया गत्वा यावच्छक्ति सुयोधनम्‌,“अपना निश्चय तो यही है कि कपटीको कपटसे ही मारना चाहिये। यदि आपकी आज्ञा हो तो जैसे तृणकी राशिमें डाली हुई आग हवाका सहारा पाकर उसे भस्म कर डालती है, वैसे ही मैं जाकर अपनी शक्तिके अनुसार उस मूढ़ दुर्योधनका वध कर डालूँ, अतः आप मुझे आज्ञा दीजिये

Transliteration

nikṛtyā nikṛtiprajño hantavya iti niścayaḥ | anujñātas tvayā gatvā yāvacchakti suyodhanam ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana sprach: „Meine feste Überzeugung ist dies: Ein trügerischer Mann, kundig in Trug, soll durch Trug selbst erschlagen werden. Wenn du mir die Erlaubnis gibst, werde ich gehen und, soweit meine Kraft reicht, Suyodhana (Duryodhana) töten – wie Feuer, in einen Haufen dürren Grases geworfen, das mit Hilfe des Windes zu Asche macht.“

Word by Word

• {'nikṛtyā': 'by deceit, through stratagem', 'nikṛti': 'deceit, treachery, fraud', 'nikṛtiprajñaḥ': 'one whose intelligence is set on deceit

• a crafty schemer', 'hantavyaḥ': 'to be slain

• fit to be killed', 'iti': 'thus', 'niścayaḥ': 'firm decision, settled conclusion', 'anujñātaḥ': 'permitted, authorized', 'tvayā': 'by you', 'gatvā': 'having gone', 'yāvat-śakti': 'according to one’s strength

• to the best of one’s ability', 'suyodhanam': 'Suyodhana, i.e., Duryodhana'}

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Suyodhana (Duryodhana)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse articulates a hard-edged ethical stance: when an opponent is fundamentally treacherous and operates through deceit, counter-deceit may be judged a legitimate means of neutralizing him. It highlights the Mahābhārata’s recurring tension between ideal dharma and pragmatic action in extreme conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

A speaker (reported by Vaiśampāyana) expresses a firm resolve that the deceitful Suyodhana should be killed using stratagem, and asks for permission to go and slay him to the extent of his ability, using a vivid simile of fire consuming dry grass when aided by wind.