Shloka 40
Sainyasaṅgraha and Bhāga-Vyavasthā (Forces Assembled and Rival Allocations) | सैन्यसंग्रह-भागव्यवस्था
न मामकान् पाण्डवास्ते समर्था: प्रतिवीक्षितुम् पराक्रान्तो हाहं पाण्डून् सपुत्रान् योद्धुमाहवे
na māmakān pāṇḍavās te samarthāḥ prativīkṣitum parākrānto hāhaṃ pāṇḍūn saputrān yoddhum āhave
Duryodhana déclare : «Ces Pāṇḍava ne sont même pas capables de faire face aux miens. Moi, dans toute ma vaillance, je combattrai sur le champ de bataille les fils de Pāṇḍu, avec leurs propres fils.»
दुर्योधन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how pride and overconfidence distort judgment: instead of seeking a dharmic settlement, Duryodhana frames the conflict as a test of personal valor, normalizing violence and dismissing the opponent’s worth—an ethical warning about ego-driven escalation.
In the Udyoga Parva’s pre-war negotiations and preparations, Duryodhana speaks defiantly, asserting that the Pāṇḍavas cannot even confront his side and that he himself will fight Pāṇḍu’s sons (and their sons) in battle, signaling his resolve for war.