Shloka 273
स्त्रीपर्व १: धृतराष्ट्रशोकः संजयाश्वासनं च
Strī Parva 1: Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Lament and Saṃjaya’s Consolation
शल्यश्न येन वै सर्व शल्यभूतं कृतं जगत् । “दुःशासन, दुरात्मा राधापुत्र कर्ण, दुष्टात्मा शकुनि, दुर्बुद्धि चित्रसेन तथा जिन्होंने सारे जगत्को शल्यमय (कण्टकाकीर्ण) बना दिया था वे शल्य--ये ही लोग दुर्योधनके मन्त्री थे
śalyaiḥ śalyam yena vai sarvaṃ śalyabhūtaṃ kṛtaṃ jagat | duḥśāsanaḥ durātmā rādhāputraḥ karṇaḥ duṣṭātmā śakuniḥ durbuddhiḥ citrasenaḥ tathā | ye sarvaṃ jagat śalyamayaṃ (kaṇṭakākīrṇaṃ) kṛtavantaḥ te śalyāḥ—ete eva duryodhanasya mantriṇaḥ āsan |
Vaiśaṃpāyana said: By those very men—who became like thorns and made the whole world a field of pain—namely Duḥśāsana, the wicked-souled Karṇa son of Rādhā, the evil-minded Śakuni, and the ill-counseling Citrasena, and others, the world was rendered ‘full of barbs.’ These thorn-like men were indeed the ministers and close advisers of Duryodhana, whose counsel intensified cruelty and drove events toward ruin.
वैशमग्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse condemns destructive counsel: when leaders surround themselves with morally corrupt advisers, their influence becomes like thorns that wound society. Ethical governance requires wise, dharmic counsel; otherwise adharma spreads and collective suffering follows.
In the opening of the Strī Parva, Vaiśaṃpāyana characterizes Duryodhana’s key associates—Duḥśāsana, Karṇa, Śakuni, Citrasena, and others—as ‘thorns’ who made the world painful. The statement frames the aftermath of war by identifying the toxic circle that fueled hostility and catastrophe.