Shloka 26

Bhīṣma’s Admonition; Duryodhana’s Rājasūya Aspiration and the Proposal of a Vaiṣṇava-satra

Devanagari script

राजा दुर्योधनो नाम धृतराष्ट्रसुतो बली । विजिहीर्षुरिहायाति तदर्थमपसर्पत,“गन्धर्वो! महाराज धृतराष्ट्रके बलवान्‌ पुत्र राजा दुर्योधन यहाँ विहार करनेकी इच्छासे पधार रहे हैं। तुमलोग उनके लिये यह स्थान खाली करके दूर चले जाओ'

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | rājā duryodhano nāma dhṛtarāṣṭrasuto balī | vijihīrṣur ihāyāti tadartham apasarpata |

Translation

“O Gandharvas! King Duryodhana, the mighty son of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, is coming here, wishing to enjoy himself. Therefore withdraw—vacate this place and go far away.”

Word by Word

राजाking

दुर्योधनःDuryodhana

नामby name

धृतराष्ट्रसुतःson of Dhritarashtra

बलीmighty/strong

विजिहीर्षुःwishing to take away/carry off

इहhere

आयातिcomes/approaches

तदर्थम्for that purpose

अपसर्पतmove away/withdraw

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Duryodhana

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Gandharvas (addressed/implicit in context)

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 highlights how worldly power and royal entitlement can lead to coercive demands—ordering others to vacate a place for one’s pleasure—setting the ethical stage for conflict when pride overrides restraint and respect.

What is happening in the narrative?

A message is conveyed (in Vaiśampāyana’s narration) that Duryodhana, the powerful son of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, is approaching this spot for recreation, and those present—addressed as Gandharvas in context—are told to leave and make the place available for him.