Shloka 16
उद्योगपर्व — अध्याय ५४: दुर्योधनस्य धृतराष्ट्रं प्रति बलप्रशंसन-युक्तः आश्वासनवादः
Duryodhana’s Reassurance and Force-Praise to Dhritarashtra
उन्होंने मेरे लिये अनन्त क्लेश और दुःख सहन किये हैं।' नरश्रेष्ठ पिताजी! आपके पुत्रों तथा मेरे भाइयोंने केवल मेरी प्रसन्नताके लिये शत्रुओंको सदा ही सताया है; ये सब बातें आप पहलेसे ही जानते हैं ।।
ananta-kleśa-duḥkhāni mayi te sahitāni vai | naraśreṣṭha pitā tāta tava putraiś ca me bhrātṛbhiḥ kevalaṁ mama prasādanārthaṁ śatravaḥ satataṁ pīḍitāḥ | etat sarvaṁ tvayā pūrvam eva viditam || te rājño dhṛtarāṣṭrasya sāmātyasya mahārathāḥ | vairam pratikariṣyanti kulocchedena pāṇḍavāḥ ||
Dijo Duryodhana: «Por mi causa han soportado penas y dolores sin término. ¡Oh padre, el mejor de los hombres! Tus hijos—mis hermanos—han hostigado sin cesar a los enemigos sólo para complacerme; tú lo sabías desde antes. Por eso, aquellos grandes guerreros de carro, los Pāṇḍavas, junto con sus ministros, pagarán su enemistad arrancando de raíz toda la estirpe del rey Dhṛtarāṣṭra».
दुर्योधन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights the ethical logic of consequences: sustained wrongdoing done for personal gratification—here, harassing enemies to please Duryodhana—invites proportional retaliation, even threatening the destruction of one’s lineage. It frames vengeance as a foreseeable outcome of adharma and political shortsightedness.
Duryodhana addresses his father Dhṛtarāṣṭra, reminding him of the hardships endured for Duryodhana’s sake and of the Kauravas’ continual persecution of their rivals. He then warns that the Pāṇḍavas, supported by their advisers, will seek revenge by annihilating Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s family line.