Shloka 141
अनुक्रमणिकाध्यायः (Anukramaṇikā Adhyāya) — Invocation, Narrator Frame, and Textual Scope
जयत्सु पाण्डुपुत्रेषु श्रुव्वा सुमहदप्रियम् । दुर्योधनमतं ज्ञात्वा कर्णस्य शकुनेस्तथा
jayatsu pāṇḍuputreṣu śrutvā sumahad apriyam | duryodhanamataṁ jñātvā karṇasya śakunes tathā
Hearing the exceedingly unwelcome report that the sons of Pāṇḍu were prospering, and having understood the intention of Duryodhana—as well as that of Karṇa and Śakuni—(the narrative turns to the reaction and ensuing counsel). Ethically, the verse signals how envy and fear of another’s rightful rise can harden into calculated resolve, setting the stage for adharma-driven plotting.
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a moral pivot: when one hears of another’s legitimate success, responding with envy and strategic hostility corrupts judgment. It foreshadows how adharma begins not only with actions but with intentions—plans formed from resentment and fear rather than fairness.
News arrives that the Pāṇḍavas are thriving. The text notes that Duryodhana’s mindset and the aligned intentions of Karṇa and Śakuni are understood, indicating a consolidation of hostile counsel that will drive subsequent schemes against the Pāṇḍavas.