Shloka 25
अक्षविजय-प्रसङ्गः
Escalation of Wagers and Shakuni’s Repeated Declarations of Victory
ये चान्ये तत्र राजान: पूर्वमेव समागता: । दुःशासनेन वीरेण सर्वैर्ग्रतृभिरेव च
ye cānye tatra rājānaḥ pūrvam eva samāgatāḥ | duḥśāsanena vīreṇa sarvair bhrātṛbhir eva ca ||
Vaiśampāyana said: “And those other kings who had already assembled there earlier—together with the valiant Duḥśāsana and with all his brothers as well—were present.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how outcomes in a royal court can be shaped by prior consolidation of allies and the visible unity of powerful factions. Ethically, it warns that when assemblies are dominated by force and partisanship, justice and dharma become vulnerable.
Vaiśampāyana describes the scene in the assembly: other kings had already arrived, and Duḥśāsana is present along with all his brothers. The court is thus populated by Kaurava power and allied rulers, foreshadowing an atmosphere unfavorable to impartial judgment.