Shloka 15
Śakuni–Duryodhana-saṃvāda: Dyūta-yojanā (Śakuni and Duryodhana on Planning the Dice-Game)
पृथिव्यां सागरान्तायां यो वै प्रतिसमो भवेत् | दुर्योधन त्वं राजेन्द्रमतिक्रम्य महाभुजम्
pṛthivyāṃ sāgarāntāyāṃ yo vai pratisamo bhavet | duryodhana tvaṃ rājendram atikramya mahābhujam |
Jika di bumi yang dibatasi samudra ini ada seseorang yang dapat dianggap setara, mengapa engkau—dengan mengabaikan Duryodhana yang berlengan perkasa, raja di atas para raja—justru memuji Keshava (Kṛṣṇa)?
शिशुपाल उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how honor can be contested when judged by different standards: Śiśupāla argues from worldly criteria—rank, martial prowess, and royal prestige—while the broader episode contrasts this with the assembly’s recognition of Kṛṣṇa’s exceptional status. Ethically, it illustrates how pride and partisan loyalty can distort judgment about true worth.
During the royal assembly connected with Yudhiṣṭhira’s Rājasūya, Śiśupāla objects to the special honor shown to Kṛṣṇa. Here he rhetorically asks why Kṛṣṇa is praised while eminent kings/warriors (he singles out Duryodhana in this line) are ‘passed over,’ escalating the confrontation that will culminate in Śiśupāla’s downfall.