Shloka 13
न विशेषं विजानन्ति पुरस्य शिबिरस्य वा | कुशला अपि राजेन्द्र नरा नगरवासिन:
na viśeṣaṃ vijānanti purasya śibirasya vā | kuśalā api rājendra narā nagaravāsinaḥ, bhārata |
Vaiśampāyana dit : « Ô le meilleur des rois, même les hommes de la ville—si habiles et avisés fussent-ils—ne percevaient aucune différence entre la cité et le camp. Duryodhana avait si parfaitement préparé d’avance une résidence, parée comme une autre Hastināpura, que le camp semblait indiscernable d’une véritable ville. »
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how power can manufacture appearances: a well-constructed façade can blur the line between what is temporary (a camp) and what is established (a city). Ethically, it cautions that outward splendor and organization do not necessarily indicate legitimacy or righteousness.
Vaiśampāyana describes Duryodhana’s prior preparations: he had a camp arranged and decorated so thoroughly—like another Hastināpura—that even experienced city-dwellers could not tell whether they were seeing a camp or a city.