Shloka 231
द्रौपदी-शैब्यसंवादः — Draupadī’s Identification and Counsel on Hospitality
शत्रुभिश्वावहसितो मानी पौरुषवर्जित: । पाण्डवैरविक्रमाब्यैश्व सावमानमवेक्षित:
śatrubhiś cāvahasito mānī pauruṣavarjitaḥ | pāṇḍavair avikramābhiś ca sāvamānam avekṣitaḥ ||
Duryodhana dit : «Raillé par mes ennemis, je m’accroche pourtant à l’orgueil, bien que dépourvu de véritable vaillance d’homme ; et par les Pāṇḍava—des hommes au courage peu remarquable—j’ai été regardé avec mépris.»
दुर्योधन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical danger of māna (pride): when self-image persists without corresponding virtue or capability, it leads to shame, resentment, and distorted judgment—fuel for further conflict rather than self-correction.
Duryodhana voices his inner grievance: he feels publicly ridiculed by opponents and scorned by the Pāṇḍavas, and he frames this as an injury to his honor, revealing a wounded pride that intensifies his hostility.