Shloka 29

कुरुक्षेत्रे सेनानिवेशवृत्तान्तः — Dhṛtarāṣṭra Questions Saṃjaya on the Deployed Armies

Devanagari script

पाण्डवा हि यथास्माकं तथा दुर्योधनो नृप: । तस्यापि क्रियतां साहां स पर्येति पुन: पुन:,“मैंने एकान्तमें श्रीकृष्णसे बार-बार कहा था कि मधुसूदन! अपने सभी सम्बन्धियोंके प्रति एक-सा बर्ताव करो; क्योंकि हमारे लिये जैसे पाण्डव हैं, वैसा ही राजा दुर्योधन है। उसकी भी सहायता करो। वह बार-बार अपने यहाँ चक्कर लगाता है

Transliteration

pāṇḍavā hi yathāsmākaṃ tathā duryodhano nṛpaḥ | tasyāpi kriyatāṃ sāhā sa paryeti punaḥ punaḥ |

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “For us, the Pāṇḍavas are dear in the same way as King Duryodhana is. Therefore, let assistance be rendered to him as well. He keeps coming again and again (seeking support).”

Word by Word

• {'pāṇḍavāḥ': 'the sons of Pāṇḍu

• the Pāṇḍavas', 'hi': 'indeed, for', 'yathā...tathā': 'just as...so also', 'asmākam': 'of us, for us', 'duryodhanaḥ': 'Duryodhana (eldest Kaurava)', 'nṛpaḥ': 'king', 'tasya api': 'of him also, to him as well', 'kriyatām': 'let it be done

• let it be rendered (passive imperative)', 'sāhā': 'help, support, assistance', 'saḥ': 'he', 'paryeti': 'goes around, comes repeatedly, keeps visiting', 'punaḥ punaḥ': 'again and again'}

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Pāṇḍavas
• Duryodhana

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse voices an ethical ideal of even-handed conduct toward one’s relatives: the Pāṇḍavas and Duryodhana are to be regarded with equal concern, so assistance should not be granted with bias.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the lead-up to war, Duryodhana repeatedly approaches for support. The speaker reports counsel that help should be extended to him too, since he is also a kinsman, not only the Pāṇḍavas.