Shloka 23
उद्योगपर्व — अध्याय ५४: दुर्योधनस्य धृतराष्ट्रं प्रति बलप्रशंसन-युक्तः आश्वासनवादः
Duryodhana’s Reassurance and Force-Praise to Dhritarashtra
इत्येषां निश्चयो ह्वासीत् तत्कालेडमिततेजसाम् । पुरा परेषां पृथिवी कृत्स्ना$$सीद् वशवर्तिनी
ity eṣāṁ niścayo hy āsīt tat-kāle ’mitatejasām | purā pareṣāṁ pṛthivī kṛtsnā āsīd vaśavartinī ||
Duryodhana berkata: “Demikianlah, pada saat itu, para kesatria yang tak terukur daya-gagahnya menetapkan tekad yang teguh (untuk berpihak kepada kami). Dahulu seluruh bumi ini berada di bawah kuasa lawan; namun kini telah jatuh ke tangan kami.”
दुर्योधन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a recurring Mahabharata tension: political control and military strength can create a sense of rightful dominance, yet dharma is not established merely by possession of power. Duryodhana equates territorial control and strong allies with moral and strategic certainty, illustrating how pride and power can obscure ethical judgment.
Duryodhana is asserting that powerful figures (implied allies of great might) have resolved to support his side, and he claims that whereas the land was once under the opponents’ influence, it is now under his control—using this as a rhetorical basis for confidence on the eve of conflict.