Shloka 22

Devanagari script

ज्येष्टोडयमिति मां मत्वा श्रेष्ठ क्षेति विशाम्पते । युधिष्ठिरेण सत्कृत्य युक्तो रत्नपरिग्रहे,महाराज! मुझे अन्य सब भाइयोंसे ज्येष्ठ और श्रेष्ठ मानकर युधिष्छिरने सत्कारपूर्वक रत्नोंकी भेंट लेनेके कामपर नियुक्त कर दिया था

Transliteration

jyeṣṭo ’yam iti māṁ matvā śreṣṭha kṣeti viśāmpate | yudhiṣṭhireṇa satkṛtya yukto ratnaparigrahe ||

Translation

Duryodhana said: “O lord of the people, thinking, ‘He is the eldest; he is the most eminent,’ Yudhiṣṭhira honored me and appointed me to the task of receiving the jewels (offered as gifts).”

Word by Word

ज्येष्ठःeldest

उदयम्rise; eminence; superiority

इतिthus; as (saying)

माम्me

मत्वाhaving thought/considered

श्रेष्ठःbest; foremost

क्षेतिdwells; rules (as a king)

विशाम्of the people/subjects

पतेO lord

युधिष्ठिरेणby Yudhiṣṭhira

सत्कृत्यhaving honored; having treated respectfully

युक्तःappointed; engaged; assigned

रत्न-परिग्रहेin the receiving/acceptance of jewels (gifts)

महाराजO great king

Speaker

दुर्योधन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Duryodhana

Yudhiṣṭhira

ratna (jewels/precious gifts)

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?

The verse highlights courtly dharma: honoring rank and assigning duties respectfully. Ethically, it also shows how external honor and entrusted responsibility can be interpreted through the lens of ego and rivalry, shaping later conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Duryodhana recounts that Yudhiṣṭhira, treating him with respect as the eldest/foremost among brothers, appointed him to manage the reception of jewels offered as gifts/tribute—an important ceremonial role in the royal assembly.