Shloka 23
पुनर्द्यूत-समाह्वानम्
Renewed Summons to the Dice-Game and Exile Wager
ततस्त्वेषां मुखमालोक्य राजा दुर्योधन: सूतमुवाच ह्ृष्ट: । इहैवैतामानय प्रातिकामिन् प्रत्यक्षमस्या: कुरवो ब्रुवन्तु
tatas tveṣāṁ mukham ālokya rājā duryodhanaḥ sūtam uvāca hṛṣṭaḥ | ihaivaitām ānaya prātikāmin pratyakṣam asyāḥ kuravo bruvantu ||
Alors le roi Duryodhana, voyant leurs visages abattus, dit avec joie au cocher : « Prātikāmin, amène-la ici sur-le-champ. Que les anciens des Kuru répondent à ses questions directement, en sa présence même. »
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how appeals to ‘dharma’ and elder authority can be weaponized to mask injustice. Duryodhana’s joy at others’ dejection and his demand for a public, face-to-face ‘answer’ signals coercion and humiliation rather than sincere ethical deliberation.
After observing the assembly’s downcast reaction, Duryodhana instructs the sūta (messenger/charioteer) to bring Draupadī into the hall immediately, insisting that the Kurus respond to her questions directly in her presence—setting the stage for a public confrontation in the royal court.