Shloka 10
कृष्णेन विदुरं प्रति आगमन-हेतु-निवेदनम् / Krishna explains the purpose of his coming to Vidura
“मधुसूदन! मूर्ख एवं बुद्धिहीन दुर्योधन राजाओंकी सेना एकत्र करके अपने-आपको कृतकृत्य मानता है ।। एक: कर्ण: पराज्जेतुं समर्थ इति निश्चितम् । धार्रराष्ट्रस्य दुर्बुद्धेः स शमं नोपयास्यति,“दुर्बुद्धि दुर्योधनको तो इस बातका भी दृढ़ विश्वास है कि अकेला कर्ण ही शत्रुओंको जीतनेमें समर्थ है; इसलिये वह कदापि संधि नहीं करेगा
vaiśampāyana uvāca | madhusūdana! mūrkha evaṁ buddhihīno duryodhana rājñāṁ senām ekatrīkṛtya svayam ātmānaṁ kṛtakṛtyaṁ manyate | ekaḥ karṇaḥ parājjetuṁ samartha iti niścitam | dhārtarāṣṭrasya durbuddheḥ sa śamaṁ nopayāsyati |
Vaiśampāyana said: “O Madhusūdana, the foolish and witless Duryodhana, having gathered the armies of kings, imagines himself already successful. He is firmly convinced that Karṇa alone is sufficient to defeat the foes; therefore that ill‑counselled son of Dhṛtarāṣṭra will not come to peace.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Overconfidence and reliance on a single champion, when joined with poor counsel, blinds a ruler to dharmic restraint and makes reconciliation impossible; ethical governance requires discernment and openness to peace.
As war preparations intensify, Vaiśampāyana describes Duryodhana’s mindset: after assembling allied armies he believes victory is assured, trusts that Karṇa alone can defeat the opponents, and therefore rejects any prospect of a peace settlement.