Shloka 5
उद्योगपर्व — अध्याय ५४: दुर्योधनस्य धृतराष्ट्रं प्रति बलप्रशंसन-युक्तः आश्वासनवादः
Duryodhana’s Reassurance and Force-Praise to Dhritarashtra
ते युधिष्ठिरमासीनमजि नै: प्रतिवासितम् | कृष्णप्रधाना: संहत्य पर्युपासन्त भारत,भारत! वे नरेश श्रीकृष्णकी प्रधानतामें संगठित हो वनमें विराजमान मृगचर्मधारी युधिष्ठिरके समीप जाकर बैठे और सगे-सम्बन्धियोंसहित आपका मूलोच्छेद कर डालनेकी इच्छा रखकर कहने लगे--'धृतराष्ट्रके हाथसे राज्यको लौटा लेना ही कर्तव्य है”
te yudhiṣṭhiram āsīnam araṇye pratīvāsitam | kṛṣṇapradhānāḥ saṃhatya paryupāsanta bhārata bhārata |
Duryodhana said: “Those kings, with Kṛṣṇa as their chief, gathered together and approached Yudhiṣṭhira, who was living in the forest, seated there in ascetic guise. Sitting near him, they spoke with the resolve to uproot you along with your kinsmen, declaring: ‘It is our duty to take back the kingdom from Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s hand.’”
दुर्योधन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical tension between rightful sovereignty and political ambition: appeals to “duty” (kartavya) can be used to justify aggressive aims, so dharma must be tested by intention, fairness, and the means employed—not merely by slogans of legitimacy.
Duryodhana describes a group of rulers, led by Kṛṣṇa, approaching the exiled Yudhiṣṭhira in the forest and sitting near him to speak; he frames their purpose as seeking to reclaim the kingdom from Dhṛtarāṣṭra, while also implying hostile intent toward Duryodhana and his kin.