Shloka 12
Rajo-dhūli-saṃmūḍha-saṅgrāmaḥ
The Dust-Obscured Battle and Mutual Charges
कर्णस्य मतमास्थाय सौबलस्य च पापकृत् । दुःशासनस्य च तथा पाण्डवान् नान्वचिन्तयत्,मैंने, गान्धारीने और विदुरने तो सदा ही उसे मना किया है, जमदग्निपुत्र परशुरामने तथा महात्मा व्यासजीने भी उसे युद्धसे रोकनेका प्रयत्न किया है; तथापि कई, शकुनि तथा दुःशासनके मतमें आकर पापी दुर्योधन सदा युद्धका ही निश्चय रखता आया है। उसने पाण्डवोंको कभी कुछ नहीं समझा
karṇasya matam āsthāya saubalasya ca pāpakṛt | duḥśāsanasya ca tathā pāṇḍavān nānvacintayat ||
Dhṛtarāṣṭra dijo: «Apoyándose en el consejo de Karṇa y en el de Śakuni, hijo de Subala, ese hacedor de pecado—Duryodhana—siguió también la opinión de Duḥśāsana. Así, nunca pensó debidamente en los Pāṇḍavas.»
धृतराष्ट उवाच
Educational Q&A
Ethically, the verse highlights how adharma is reinforced by selective listening: when a leader adopts counsel driven by envy, aggression, or self-interest, he stops reflecting on justice and kinship. Duryodhana’s ‘sin’ is not only in actions but in the deliberate refusal to consider the rightful claims and welfare of the Pāṇḍavas.
Dhṛtarāṣṭra describes Duryodhana’s mindset: he aligns himself with the opinions of Karṇa, Śakuni (Saubala), and Duḥśāsana, and as a result he does not properly consider the Pāṇḍavas. This frames the escalation toward war as a consequence of misguided alliances and stubborn disregard for prudent counsel.