Shloka 1

Devanagari script

(दाक्षिणात्य अधिक पाठके १६ श्लोक मिलाकर कुल २४३ “लोक हैं।) 3 “+( 9) #2:.# ४257 अष्टात्रिशर्दाधिकद्विशततमो< ध्याय: दुर्योधनके द्वारा कर्ण और शकुनिकी मन्त्रणा स्वीकार करना तथा कर्ण आदिका घोषयात्राको निमित्त बनाकर द्वैतवनमें जानेके लिये धृतराष्ट्रसे आज्ञा लेने जाना वैशम्पायन उवाच कर्णस्य वचन श्रुत्वा राजा दुर्योधनस्तत: । हृष्टो भूत्वा पुनर्दीन इदं वचनमत्रवीत्‌,वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--जनमेजय! कर्णकी बात सुनकर राजा दुर्योधनको पहले तो बड़ी प्रसन्नता हुई; फिर वह दीन होकर इस प्रकार बोला--

Transliteration

Vaiśampāyana uvāca: Karṇasya vacanaṃ śrutvā rājā Duryodhanas tataḥ | hṛṣṭo bhūtvā punaḥ dīna idaṃ vacanam abravīt ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Hearing Karṇa’s words, King Duryodhana at first was delighted; but then, sinking into despondency, he spoke these words.

Word by Word

कर्णस्यof Karna

वचनम्speech/words

श्रुत्वाhaving heard

राजाthe king

दुर्योधनःDuryodhana

ततःthen/thereupon

हृष्टःdelighted

भूत्वाhaving become

पुनःagain

दीनःdejected

इदम्this

वचनम्speech/words

अब्रवीत्said/spoke

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Janamejaya

Karṇa

Duryodhana

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse implicitly warns that leadership without steadiness (dhairya) and ethical clarity becomes reactive: delight when advice supports one’s desire, and dejection when insecurity returns. Such emotional volatility makes a ruler susceptible to harmful counsel and adharma-driven choices.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates to King Janamejaya that Duryodhana hears Karṇa’s words and initially feels pleased, but soon becomes downcast and begins to speak—setting up the ensuing conversation in which Duryodhana’s plans and motivations are further revealed.