Shloka 19
Rāmopākhyāna—Rāma–Sītā Origins and the Opening of Rāvaṇa’s Genealogy
विजितांश्वाप्पमन्यन्त पाण्डवान् धृतराष्ट्रजा: । दुर्योधनो5पि राजेन्द्र विसृज्य नरपुड़वान्,उस दिनसे कौरव पाण्डवोंको पराजित ही मानने लगे। राजेन्द्र! तदनन्तर जैसे देवराज इन्द्र चैत्रथ नामक उद्यानमें प्रवेश करते हैं, उसी प्रकार श्रीमान् राजा दुर्योधनने उन नरपुंगवोंको विदा करके अपने महलमें प्रवेश किया। भारत! तदनन्तर वे सभी महाधनुर्धर वीर अपने-अपने भवनमें चले गये
vaiśampāyana uvāca |
vijitāṁś cāpy amanyanta pāṇḍavān dhṛtarāṣṭrajāḥ |
duryodhano 'pi rājendra visṛjya nara-puṅgavān |
prāviśad bhavanaṁ śrīmān yathā devarajo 'marāṭ |
(iti bhāvaḥ) tataḥ sarve mahā-dhanurdharā vīrāḥ sva-sva-bhavanāni jagmuḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana said: From that day onward, the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra regarded the Pāṇḍavas as already defeated. Then King Duryodhana, O best of kings, having dismissed those foremost of men, entered his palace in splendor—like Indra entering the celestial pleasure-grove named Caitraratha. After this, all those heroes, mighty archers and men of great prowess, departed each to his own residence.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how pride and premature certainty of victory can distort judgment: the Kauravas assume the Pāṇḍavas are already defeated, a mindset that fuels further adharma and conflict rather than restraint, reconciliation, or truthful assessment.
After events that make the Kauravas feel triumphant, they conclude the Pāṇḍavas are effectively beaten. Duryodhana dismisses the assembled leading warriors and returns to his palace, compared to Indra entering the divine grove Caitraratha; the other great archers then go back to their own homes.