Mahabharata — Virata Parva, Shloka 10
अध्याय ५०: उत्तरेण सह अर्जुनस्य रथप्रयाणे ध्वजचिह्नैः कौरवसेनानिर्देशः
Arjuna directs Uttara by identifying Kaurava commanders through banners
कतमद् द्वैरथं युद्ध यत्राजैषीर्धनंजयम् । नकुलं सहदेवं वा धन येषां त्वया हृतम्
katamad dvairathaṃ yuddhaṃ yatrājaiṣīr dhanaṃjayam | nakulaṃ sahadevaṃ vā dhana yeṣāṃ tvayā hṛtam ||
Kripa said: “Which duel in battle was it in which you defeated Dhanañjaya? Or Nakula, or Sahadeva? You seized the wealth of those Pāṇḍavas through deceitful gambling; tell me, O King Duryodhana—when did you ever conquer any of them in fair combat?”
कृप उवाच
Educational Q&A
True victory, especially for a kṣatriya, is measured by fair prowess in battle and adherence to dharma, not by gains obtained through deceit. Kṛpa exposes the moral weakness of boasting over wealth won by fraudulent gambling rather than by honorable combat.
Kṛpa challenges Duryodhana’s implied superiority over the Pāṇḍavas. He asks for any instance of a proper chariot-duel where Duryodhana actually defeated Arjuna, Nakula, or Sahadeva, pointing out that Duryodhana’s ‘victory’ was merely the confiscation of their wealth through the rigged dice game.
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