Shloka 30

Devanagari script

यस्य वीर्य समाश्रित्य धार्तराष्ट्री महामना: । अवामन्यत दुर्बुद्धिर्नित्यमस्मान्‌ दुरात्मवान्‌

Transliteration

yasya vīrya samāśritya dhārtarāṣṭrī mahāmanāḥ | avāmanyata durbuddhir nityam asmān durātmavān ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: “Relying on the prowess of that great-souled warrior, the son of Dhṛtarāṣṭra—of perverted understanding and wicked disposition—constantly held us in contempt.”

Word by Word

यस्यwhose

वीर्यम्valor, prowess

समाश्रित्यhaving relied on, taking refuge in

धार्तराष्ट्रीthe son of Dhṛtarāṣṭra (Duryodhana)

महामनाःgreat-souled

अवामन्यत्disrespected, slighted

दुर्बुद्धिःthe evil-minded one

नित्यम्always

अस्मान्us

दुरात्मवान्wicked-natured

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Duryodhana (implied by dhārtarāṣṭrī)

A great-souled warrior whose valor is relied upon (contextually Karṇa)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Arrogance born from leaning on another’s strength leads to ethical decline: contempt for others, distorted judgment (durbuddhi), and a hardened wicked disposition (durātmavān). The verse warns that power—especially borrowed power—must be governed by humility and discernment, or it becomes a cause of adharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes how the Kaurava leader (the son of Dhṛtarāṣṭra) repeatedly insulted and underestimated the opposing side because he felt secure in the martial might of a great warrior on his side (contextually Karṇa). This sets the emotional and moral backdrop for the unfolding battles in the Karṇa Parva.