Shloka 29

कुरुक्षेत्रे सेनानिवेशवृत्तान्तः — Dhṛtarāṣṭra Questions Saṃjaya on the Deployed Armies

Devanagari script

पाण्डवा हि यथास्माकं तथा दुर्योधनो नृप: । तस्यापि क्रियतां साहां स पर्येति पुन: पुन:

Transliteration

pāṇḍavā hi yathāsmākaṃ tathā duryodhano nṛpaḥ | tasyāpi kriyatāṃ sāhā sa paryeti punaḥ punaḥ |

Translation

हमारे लिए जैसे पाण्डव हैं, वैसे ही राजा दुर्योधन भी है। इसलिए उसकी भी सहायता की जाए; वह बार-बार (सहायता के लिए) आता है।

Word by Word

• {'pāṇḍavāḥ': 'the sons of Pāṇḍu

• the Pāṇḍavas', 'hi': 'indeed, for', 'yathā...tathā': 'just as...so also', 'asmākam': 'of us, for us', 'duryodhanaḥ': 'Duryodhana (eldest Kaurava)', 'nṛpaḥ': 'king', 'tasya api': 'of him also, to him as well', 'kriyatām': 'let it be done

• let it be rendered (passive imperative)', 'sāhā': 'help, support, assistance', 'saḥ': 'he', 'paryeti': 'goes around, comes repeatedly, keeps visiting', 'punaḥ punaḥ': 'again and again'}

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Pāṇḍavas
• Duryodhana

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse voices an ethical ideal of even-handed conduct toward one’s relatives: the Pāṇḍavas and Duryodhana are to be regarded with equal concern, so assistance should not be granted with bias.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the lead-up to war, Duryodhana repeatedly approaches for support. The speaker reports counsel that help should be extended to him too, since he is also a kinsman, not only the Pāṇḍavas.