Shloka 8

Kuntī’s Consolation to Draupadī and Lament for the Dispossessed Pandavas (सभा पर्व, अध्याय 70)

Devanagari script

श्रुत्वा तु वाक्‍्यं सुमनोहरं त- दर्षश्वासीत्‌ कौरवाणां सभायाम्‌ | सर्वे चासन्‌ पार्थिवा: प्रीतिमन्तः कुरुश्रेष्ठ धार्मिकं पूजयन्त:,दुर्योधनका वह मनोहर वचन सुनकर उस समय सभामें कौरवोंको बड़ा हर्ष हुआ। अन्य सब राजा भी बड़े प्रसन्न हुए तथा दुर्योधनको कौरवोंमें श्रेष्ठ और धार्मिक कहते हुए उसका आदर करने लगे

Transliteration

śrutvā tu vākyam sumanoharaṃ tad āśvāsīt kauravāṇāṃ sabhāyām | sarve cāsan pārthivāḥ prītimantaḥ kuruśreṣṭhaṃ dhārmikaṃ pūjayantaḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Hearing that exceedingly pleasing speech, the Kauravas in the royal assembly were at once heartened and filled with joy. The other kings too became delighted, and, praising Duryodhana as the foremost among the Kurus and as a righteous man, they began to honor him—revealing how public acclaim and the language of “dharma” can be used to confer legitimacy and prestige in a courtly setting.

Word by Word

• {'śrutvā': 'having heard', 'tu': 'but/indeed (emphatic particle)', 'vākyam': 'speech, statement', 'sumanoharam': 'very pleasing, charming to the mind', 'tad': 'that', 'āśvāsīt': 'became comforted/encouraged

• took heart', 'kauravāṇām': 'of the Kauravas', 'sabhāyām': 'in the assembly, in the court', 'sarve': 'all', 'ca': 'and', 'āsan': 'were', 'pārthivāḥ': 'kings, rulers', 'prītimantaḥ': 'joyful, pleased', 'kuruśreṣṭham': 'the best among the Kurus', 'dhārmikam': 'righteous, aligned with dharma', 'pūjayantaḥ': 'honoring, paying respect to'}

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Kauravas
• Sabhā (royal assembly)
• Pārthivas (kings)
• Duryodhana
• Kuru lineage

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how courtly praise and the label of “dhārmika” (righteous) can function as social and political validation. It invites reflection on the difference between genuine dharma and reputational dharma created by public acclaim.

What is happening in the narrative?

After Duryodhana speaks in a manner that pleases the assembly, the Kauravas feel encouraged and happy. The gathered kings also become pleased and begin honoring him, calling him the best of the Kurus and righteous.