Shloka 28
भीष्म-पर्व अध्याय १०० — त्रिगर्त-आक्रमण, भीष्म-केन्द्रित पुनर्संयोजन, तथा शक्त्यस्त्र-विनिमय
दक्षिणं दक्षिण: काले सम्भृत्य स्वभुजं तदा । हस्तिहस्तोपमं शैक्ष॑ सर्वशत्रुनिबर्हणम्,उदार स्वभाववाले राजा दुर्योधनने उस समय सम्पूर्ण शत्रुओंका संहार करनेमें समर्थ, हाथीकी सूँड़के समान विशाल तथा अस्त्र-प्रहारकी शिक्षामें निपुणताको प्राप्त हुई अपनी दाहिनी भुजाको ऊपर उठाकर सम्पूर्ण दिशाओंमें उठी हुई विभिन्न देशके निवासी मनुष्योंकी प्रणामांजलियोंको स्वीकार करते हुए उनकी मधुर बातें सुनीं
dakṣiṇaṁ dakṣiṇaḥ kāle sambhṛtya svabhujaṁ tadā | hastihastopamaṁ śaikṣaṁ sarvaśatrunibarhaṇam | udārasvabhāvavān rājā duryodhanaḥ tadā samartho bhūtvā samastaśatrusaṁhāre hastisūṇḍāsadṛśaṁ viśālaṁ astraprahāraśikṣāyāṁ nipuṇatāṁ prāptaṁ svadakṣiṇabhujaṁ samutkṣipya sarvadiśaṁ samutthitān nānādeśanivāsimanuṣyāṇāṁ praṇāmāñjalīḥ pratigṛhṇan teṣāṁ madhurāṇi vacāṁsi śuśrāva
Karna said: At the proper time, King Duryodhana—noble by temperament and capable of crushing every foe—gathered his strength and raised his right arm, vast like an elephant’s trunk and perfected through training in the blows of weapons. Then, as people from many lands rose in all directions with folded hands, he accepted their salutations and listened to their sweet words. The scene underscores how royal power is publicly affirmed: by martial readiness on the one hand, and by the king’s reception of the people’s homage on the other—an outward sign of sovereignty that, ethically, demands responsibility in the use of that power.
कर्ण उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the public nature of kingship: martial capability and disciplined strength win fear and respect, but the king’s acceptance of salutations implies an ethical obligation to wield that power responsibly and for the realm’s welfare.
Karna describes Duryodhana at a formal moment: he raises his powerful, well-trained right arm and receives the folded-hand salutations of people from many regions, listening to their pleasing words—an image of royal authority being acknowledged.