Shloka 12
भीष्म-द्रोणादिभिः पाण्डवसेनाक्षयकाल-निर्णयः | Time-estimates for the depletion of the Pāṇḍava forces
Bhīṣma–Droṇa council
दुर्योधनस्तु शिबिरं कारयामास भारत । यथैव हास्तिनपुरं द्वितीयं समलंकृतम्
duryodhanas tu śibiraṃ kārayāmāsa bhārata | yathaiva hāstinapuraṃ dvitīyaṃ samalaṅkṛtam ||
Vaiśampāyana said: Duryodhana had a military camp constructed, O Bhārata, adorned like a second Hastināpura. It was so carefully arranged and embellished that even discerning townsmen could scarcely tell any difference between that camp and the city called Hastināpura—revealing Duryodhana’s deliberate projection of royal legitimacy and power on the eve of conflict.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how outward splendor can be used to manufacture legitimacy and authority. Ethical discernment requires looking beyond appearances—especially in political and wartime contexts where display may mask insecurity, ambition, or intent.
As war preparations intensify, Duryodhana commissions an opulent encampment designed to resemble Hastināpura itself. The camp’s grandeur is so convincing that even clever residents struggle to distinguish it from the actual city, underscoring the scale and symbolism of the Kauravas’ mobilization.