Shloka 31
भीष्मस्य सेनापत्यप्रतिज्ञा तथा रथसंख्यावर्णनम् | Bhishma Accepts Command and Enumerates Kaurava Strength
उलूक मद्वचो ब्रूहि दुर्मतिं पापपूरुषम् । शठं नैकृतिकं पाप॑ दुराचारं सुयोधनम्
ulūka madvaco brūhi durmatiṁ pāpapūruṣam | śaṭhaṁ naikṛtikaṁ pāpaṁ durācāraṁ suyodhanam ||
Sanjaya said: Thereafter Bhimasena again addressed the prince Uluka: “Uluka, convey these words of mine to Suyodhana— that evil-minded, sinful man: deceitful, treacherous, wicked, and of corrupt conduct.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the moral framing of the conflict: Bhima characterizes Duryodhana as driven by adharma—deceit, treachery, and corrupt conduct—implying that ethical failure, not mere rivalry, is the root of the impending war.
In the Udyoga Parva’s pre-war exchanges, Uluka is acting as a messenger. Bhima instructs him to carry a message to Duryodhana, beginning with a forceful denunciation of Duryodhana’s character.