Shloka 4
Chapter 137: Yuyudhāna (Sātyaki) Slays Somadatta; Yudhiṣṭhira Redirected from Droṇa
इति मामब्रवीत् सूत मन्दो दुर्योधन: पुरा । वसुषेणसहायं मां नाल॑ं देवाडपि संयुगे
iti mām abravīt sūta mando duryodhanaḥ purā | vasuṣeṇa-sahāyaṃ māṃ nālaṃ devāḍ api saṃyuge ||
Dhṛtarāṣṭra said: “Thus, long ago, O Sūta, the dull-witted Duryodhana spoke to me: ‘Even with Vasuṣeṇa as my ally, I am not equal to the gods themselves in battle.’”
धृतराष्ट उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical danger of pride mixed with insecurity: even a powerful king, despite strong allies, recognizes limits before overwhelming forces. It points to the need for sober self-assessment and responsible leadership rather than reckless reliance on power or companions.
Dhṛtarāṣṭra recounts to Sañjaya an earlier statement of Duryodhana, in which Duryodhana admits that even with Karna (Vasuṣeṇa) as his supporter, he does not feel capable of matching the gods in battle—revealing his inner apprehension amid the war context.