Shloka 17

Jatāyu’s Resistance, Sītā’s Traces, Kabandha’s Release, and the Path to Sugrīva (Āraṇyaka-parva 263)

Devanagari script

वैशम्पायन उवाच एतच्छुत्वा वचस्तस्य महर्षेरभावितात्मन: | अमन्यत पुनर्जातमात्मानं स सुयोधन:,वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--जनमेजय! शुद्ध अन्त:ः:करणवाले महर्षि दुर्वासाका यह वचन सुनकर दुर्योधनने मन-ही-मन ऐसा समझा, मानो उसका नया जन्म हुआ हो

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca etac chrutvā vacas tasya maharṣer abhāvitātmanaḥ | amanyata punarjātam ātmānaṃ sa suyodhanaḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Hearing those words of the great seer—whose inner self was purified and disciplined—Suyodhana (Duryodhana) felt within himself as though he had been born anew.

Word by Word

वैशम्पायनःVaiśampāyana

उवाचsaid

एतत्this

श्रुत्वाhaving heard

वचःspeech; words

तस्यof him/that (person)

महर्षेःof the great sage

अभावितात्मनःof (one) whose inner self is not purified/undisciplined

अमन्यतthought; considered

पुनःagain

जातम्born; arisen

आत्मानम्himself; the self

सःhe

सुयोधनःSuyodhana (Duryodhana)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Suyodhana (Duryodhana)

the Maharṣi (great seer)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Words of spiritual authority can strongly affect the mind; inner transformation may arise from hearing counsel, but its moral value depends on whether the renewed resolve aligns with dharma or fuels adharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

After hearing the statement of a great sage with a purified inner nature, Duryodhana (Suyodhana) experiences a surge of renewed confidence, feeling as if he has been reborn.