Shloka 67
Adhyāya 45 — Duryodhana’s Distress, Śakuni’s Counsel, and the Summons for Dyūta
गते द्वारवतीं कृष्णे सात्वतप्रवरे नूप,राजन! यदुवंशशिरोमणि श्रीकृष्णके द्वारका चले जानेपर भी राजा दुर्योधन तथा सुबलपुत्र शकुनि--ये दोनों नरश्रेष्ठ उस दिव्य सभाभवनमें ही रहे
gate dvāravatīṁ kṛṣṇe sātvata-pravare nṛpa, rājan! yaduvaṁśa-śiromaṇi śrī-kṛṣṇe dvārakāṁ cale jāne’pi rājā duryodhanaḥ saubala-putraḥ śakuniś ca—etau dvau nara-śreṣṭhau tasmin divye sabhā-bhavane eva remāte.
Vaiśampāyana said: When Kṛṣṇa—the foremost of the Sātvatas, the crest-jewel of the Yadu line—had departed for Dvāravatī, O king, even after Śrī Kṛṣṇa set out for Dvārakā, King Duryodhana and Śakuni, the son of Subala—those two best of men—remained there in that very divine hall of assembly.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a moral pattern in epic narrative: when a righteous stabilizing presence (Kṛṣṇa) withdraws, those motivated by envy and manipulation (Duryodhana and Śakuni) remain to exploit the situation. It subtly warns that ethical order in governance depends not only on power and splendor but on the character guiding decisions.
After Kṛṣṇa leaves for Dvārakā, Duryodhana and Śakuni do not depart; they stay behind in the magnificent assembly hall. Their lingering signals continued fascination with the hall’s grandeur and, more importantly, sets the stage for further plotting connected with the court and the coming conflict.