Shloka 20

Rājasūyābhiṣeka-darśana: Duryodhana’s Observation of the Consecration

Devanagari script

त्रिशतं चोष्टवामीनां शतानि विचरन्त्युत । राजन्या बलिमादाय समेता हि नृपक्षये

Transliteration

triśataṃ coṣṭavāmīnāṃ śatāni vicaranty uta | rājanyā balim ādāya sametā hi nṛpakṣaye ||

Translation

Dijo Duryodhana: «Y también había cientos y cientos de camellas vagando. Los reyes y nobles, tras traer tributo, se habían reunido allí, en la residencia real.»

Word by Word

• त्रिशतम्: three hundred
• त्रिशतम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिशत (त्रि-शत)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• उष्टवामीनाम्: of she-camels
• Type: Noun
• Root: उष्टवामी
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Plural

• शतानि: hundreds
• शतानि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Plural

• विचरन्ति: they roam / move about
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-चर्
• Form: Present, 3rd, Plural

• उत: also / moreover
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उत

• राजन्याः: kings / royal persons
• राजन्याः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• बलिम्: tribute / offering
• बलिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलि
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आदाय: having taken / bringing
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-दा
• Form: Lyap (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral here)

• समेताः: assembled / gathered
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समेत (सम्-इ + क्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• हि: indeed / for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• नृपक्षये: in the royal residence / at the king's abode
• नृपक्षये: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृपक्षय
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

Speaker

दुर्योधन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Duryodhana
• rājanyāḥ (kings/nobles)
• bali (tribute)
• uṣṭrā-vāmī (she-camels)
• nṛpakṣaya (royal residence)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how political authority is publicly affirmed through tribute and visible abundance; ethically, it invites reflection on whether sovereignty is grounded in dharma or merely in the display and extraction of wealth.

What is happening in the narrative?

Duryodhana describes the scene of great material plenty—large numbers of animals and the gathering of kings who have brought tribute—assembled at the royal residence, emphasizing the grandeur and reach of the ruler’s influence.