Shloka 57

आदि पर्व, अध्याय 96 — काश्यकन्याहरणं, शाल्वसमागमः, अम्बावचनं च

Kāśī princesses taken; encounter with Śālva; Ambā’s declaration

Devanagari script

तेषां धृतराष्ट्रस्य पुत्राणां चत्वार: प्रधाना बभूवु:; दुर्योधनो दुःशासनो विकर्णश्षित्रसेनक्षेति,धृतराष्ट्रके उन सौ पुत्रोंमें चार प्रधान थे-दुर्योधन, दुःशासन, विकर्ण और चित्रसेन

Transliteration

Vaiśampāyana uvāca: teṣāṃ Dhṛtarāṣṭrasya putrāṇāṃ catvāraḥ pradhānā babhūvuḥ—Duryodhanaḥ, Duḥśāsanaḥ, Vikarṇaḥ, Citrāsenaś ca iti.

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Among Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s sons, four emerged as the principal ones—Duryodhana, Duḥśāsana, Vikarṇa, and Citrāsena. The narration highlights how leadership and influence within a lineage can concentrate in a few figures, foreshadowing how their choices will shape the moral and political fate of the Kuru house.

Word by Word

तेषाम्of them

धृतराष्ट्रस्यof Dhṛtarāṣṭra

पुत्राणाम्of (the) sons

चand

चत्वारःfour

प्रधानाःchief, principal

बभूवुःbecame / were

दुर्योधनःDuryodhana

दुःशासनःDuḥśāsana

विकर्णःVikarṇa

चित्रसेनःCitrasena

इतिthus

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Duryodhana

Duḥśāsana

Vikarṇa

Citrāsena

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores that within a large lineage, a few individuals often become the main drivers of events; therefore, ethical responsibility (dharma) weighs heavily on those who hold influence, since their conduct can determine the direction of an entire family and kingdom.

What is happening in the narrative?

The narrator Vaiśampāyana identifies four of Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s sons as the principal figures—Duryodhana, Duḥśāsana, Vikarṇa, and Citrāsena—setting up their prominence in the unfolding Kuru conflict.