Shloka 26
धृतराष्ट्रस्य मूर्च्छा—व्यासोपदेशः
Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Collapse and Vyāsa’s Counsel
धृतराष्ट्रस्य पुत्राणां यस्तु ज्येष्ठ: शतस्य वै | दुर्योधन इति ख्यातः स ते कार्य करिष्यति
dhṛtarāṣṭrasya putrāṇāṃ yastu jyeṣṭhaḥ śatasya vai | duryodhana iti khyātaḥ sa te kārya kariṣyati ||
Among Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s sons, the one who is indeed the eldest of the hundred—known as Duryodhana—he will carry out your purpose. The statement points to the decisive agency of the eldest Kaurava, whose will and actions become the instrument through which intended plans—whether prudent or harmful—are executed, underscoring the ethical weight of leadership and choice.
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how leadership concentrates moral responsibility: the eldest and most influential figure (Duryodhana) becomes the primary agent who executes intentions, so the ethical quality of plans and choices matters greatly when power is centralized.
Vyāsa identifies Duryodhana as the eldest among Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s hundred sons and indicates that he will be the one to carry out the intended task or plan, emphasizing Duryodhana’s decisive role among the Kauravas.