Shloka 13
Āśā-prabhava (आशाप्रभव) — On the Rise and Power of Hope/Expectation
Sumitra Itihāsa Begins
दृष्टवा तां पाण्डवेयानामृद्धि वैश्रव्णी शुभाम् । अमित्राणां सुमहतीमनुशोचामि भारत
dṛṣṭvā tāṃ pāṇḍaveyānām ṛddhiṃ vaiśravaṇīṃ śubhām | amitrāṇāṃ sumahatīm anuśocāmi bhārata bhārata ||
Duryodhana dit : «Ô Bhārata ! Ayant vu la prospérité heureuse des fils de Pāṇḍu, pareille à celle de Vaiśravaṇa (Kubera), si vaste qu’elle dépasse toute mesure même parmi des ennemis, je m’enfonce dans un chagrin sans fin. Car lorsque je contemple leur grandeur éclatante, presque digne de Kubera, mon esprit se consume d’envie et de lamentation, et je ne trouve point de paix.»
दुर्योधन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse exposes envy (asūyā/īrṣyā) as a corrosive inner force: when one measures oneself against others’ prosperity, the mind falls into continual sorrow. Ethically, it warns that fixation on rivals’ success undermines discernment and fuels adharma-driven decisions.
Duryodhana reflects on the Pāṇḍavas’ magnificent prosperity—likened to Kubera’s—and confesses that the sight plunges him into relentless grief. This confession reveals his inner agitation and the emotional root of his hostility toward them.