Shloka 83
Dyūta-āhvāna: Śakuni’s Proposal, Vidura’s Warning, and the Summons of Yudhiṣṭhira
Sabhā-parva 51
श्यामास्तन्व्यो दीर्घकेश्यो हेमाभरणभूषिता: । कार्पासिक देशमें निवास करनेवाली एक लाख दासियाँ उस यज्ञमें सेवा कर रही थीं। वे सब-की-सब श्यामा तथा तन््वंगी थीं। उन सबके केश बड़े-बड़े थे और वे सभी सोनेके आभूषणोंसे विभूषित थीं
śyāmāstanvyo dīrghakeśyo hemābharaṇabhūṣitāḥ |
Duryodhana dit : «Cent mille servantes assistaient à ce sacrifice, demeurant dans la région de Kārpāsika. Toutes étaient de teint sombre et de taille fine ; leurs cheveux étaient longs, et elles étaient parées d’ornements d’or.»
दुर्योधन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights how fascination with external luxury and spectacle can feed pride and jealousy. In the Sabha narrative, such fixation becomes ethically significant because it contributes to resentment and adharma-driven choices rather than contentment, restraint, and discernment.
Duryodhana is describing the grandeur surrounding a major rite/ceremony, emphasizing the immense number of attendants and their ornate appearance. The description functions as a catalogue of wealth and magnificence, reflecting his preoccupation with status and comparison.