Shloka 12
भीष्म-द्रोणादिभिः पाण्डवसेनाक्षयकाल-निर्णयः | Time-estimates for the depletion of the Pāṇḍava forces
Bhīṣma–Droṇa council
दुर्योधनस्तु शिबिरं कारयामास भारत । यथैव हास्तिनपुरं द्वितीयं समलंकृतम्
duryodhanas tu śibiraṃ kārayāmāsa bhārata | yathaiva hāstinapuraṃ dvitīyaṃ samalaṅkṛtam ||
Vaiśampāyana dit : Ô Bhārata, Duryodhana fit édifier un camp militaire, paré comme une seconde Hastināpura. L’agencement en était si soigneux et l’ornementation si parfaite que même les citadins les plus avisés distinguaient à peine ce camp de la ville nommée Hastināpura—révélant la volonté de Duryodhana d’afficher puissance et légitimité royale à la veille du conflit.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how outward splendor can be used to manufacture legitimacy and authority. Ethical discernment requires looking beyond appearances—especially in political and wartime contexts where display may mask insecurity, ambition, or intent.
As war preparations intensify, Duryodhana commissions an opulent encampment designed to resemble Hastināpura itself. The camp’s grandeur is so convincing that even clever residents struggle to distinguish it from the actual city, underscoring the scale and symbolism of the Kauravas’ mobilization.