Shloka 386

Devanagari script

सर्वे म्लेच्छा: सर्ववर्णा आदिमध्यान्तजास्तथा | सभी म्लेच्छ तथा आदि, मध्य और अन्तमें उत्पन्न सभी वर्णके लोग विशेष प्रेम और आदरके साथ युधिष्ठिरके पास भेंट लेकर आये थे

Transliteration

sarve mlecchāḥ sarvavarṇā ādimadhyāntajāstathā |

Translation

Duryodhana said: “All the mlecchas, and people of every social order—those born in the beginning, the middle, and the end (of the realm)—came to Yudhiṣṭhira bearing gifts, showing him marked affection and respect.”

Word by Word

सर्वेall

म्लेच्छाःforeigners / barbarians

सर्ववर्णाःpeople of all varnas/classes

आदि-मध्य-अन्त-जाःborn in the beginning, middle, and end

तथाand also / likewise

Speaker

दुर्योधन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Duryodhana

Yudhiṣṭhira

mlecchas

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 how righteous and widely accepted kingship attracts voluntary allegiance and offerings across social and cultural boundaries; it also exposes the ethical danger of envy—Duryodhana interprets others’ respect for Yudhiṣṭhira not as a sign of dharmic rule but as a threat to his own status.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the context of the royal assembly and the build-up to Yudhiṣṭhira’s great sovereignty, Duryodhana remarks (with resentment) that people from all groups—including mlecchas and all varṇas—are coming to Yudhiṣṭhira with gifts and honor, signaling Yudhiṣṭhira’s expanding prestige.