Shloka 8
यह शकुनि कहता है कि तुम्हारी कान्ति फीकी पड़ गयी है। तुम सफेद और दुबले हो गये हो; परंतु मैं बहुत सोचनेपर भी तुम्हारे शोकका कोई कारण नहीं देखता ।। ऐश्वर्य हि महत् पुत्र त्वयि सर्व प्रतिष्ठितम् । भ्रातर: सुहृदश्चैव नाचरन्ति तवाप्रियम्,बेटा! इस सम्पूर्ण महान् ऐश्वर्यका भार तुम्हारे ही ऊपर है। तुम्हारे भाई और सुहृद् कभी तुम्हारे प्रतिकूल आचरण नहीं करते
vaiśampāyana uvāca | śakuniḥ kathayati—tava kāntiḥ phīkā jātā; tvaṃ śvetaś ca kṛśaś ca jātaḥ; tathāpi bahu cintayann api tava śokasya kāraṇaṃ na paśyāmi || aiśvaryaṃ hi mahat putra tvayi sarvaṃ pratiṣṭhitam | bhrātaraḥ suhṛdaś caiva nācaranti tavāpriyam ||
Vaiśampāyana said: Śakuni remarked, “Your radiance has grown dim; you have turned pale and thin. Yet even after much reflection I cannot see any cause for your sorrow. For, my son, the whole weight of this great sovereignty rests upon you. Your brothers and your well-wishers never act against what you desire.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how political counsel can reframe a ruler’s emotions: Śakuni minimizes the legitimacy of sorrow by pointing to external success—power, support, and obedience—implying that grief is irrational when sovereignty is secure. Ethically, it foreshadows how attachment to status can be used to manipulate judgment.
In the Sabha Parva setting, Śakuni addresses the Kaurava prince (contextually Duryodhana), noticing his diminished radiance and asking why he grieves. He argues that Duryodhana holds great royal power and that his brothers and allies do not oppose him, thereby questioning the basis of his distress.