Shloka 20
दुर्योधनस्य बलिवर्णनम् — Duryodhana’s Description of Tribute at the Rājasūya
प्रमत्तो धृतराष्ट्रस्य पुत्रो दुर्योधनस्तदा । नाभ्यभाषत् सुबलजं भाषमाणं पुन: पुन:,इस समय धूृतराष्ट्रपुत्र दुर्योधन उन्मत्त-सा हो रहा था। वह शकुनिके बार-बार पूछनेपर भी उसे कोई उत्तर नहीं दे रहा था
pramatto dhṛtarāṣṭrasya putro duryodhanas tadā | nābhyabhāṣat subalajaṁ bhāṣamāṇaṁ punaḥ punaḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana said: At that time Duryodhana, the son of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, had become heedless and agitated. Though Śakuni—born of Subala—spoke to him again and again, Duryodhana did not reply. The scene shows how pride and inner turmoil can silence sound counsel and hasten ethical collapse.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
When a person becomes pramatta—overpowered by pride, anger, or delusion—he stops responding to wise or strategic counsel. Ethical discernment (dharma-buddhi) weakens, and even repeated advice fails to penetrate a mind seized by inner agitation.
Vaiśampāyana narrates that Duryodhana, mentally unsettled at that moment, remains silent and does not answer Śakuni (called subalaja, ‘born of Subala’), even though Śakuni addresses him repeatedly.