Shloka 14

Vidura’s Recall from Kāmyaka-vana and Reconciliation with Dhṛtarāṣṭra (विदुरानयनम् / क्षमायाचनम्)

Devanagari script

वैशम्पायन उवाच एवमुक्तस्तु कर्णेन राजा दुर्योधनस्तदा । नातिदृष्टमना: क्षिप्रमभवत्‌ स पराड्मुख:,वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--जनमेजय! कर्णके ऐसा कहनेपर उस समय राजा दुर्योधनको अधिक प्रसन्नता नहीं हुई। उसने तुरंत ही अपना मुँह फेर लिया

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca evam uktas tu karṇena rājā duryodhanas tadā | nātidṛṣṭamanāḥ kṣipram abhavat sa parāṅmukhaḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: When Karṇa had spoken thus, King Duryodhana at that time was not greatly pleased; he quickly turned his face away, showing displeasure and withdrawal rather than agreement.

Word by Word

वैशम्पायनःVaiśampāyana

उवाचsaid

एवम्thus

उक्तःhaving been spoken to / addressed

तुbut

कर्णेनby Karṇa

राजाthe king

दुर्योधनःDuryodhana

तदाthen

नnot

अतिदृष्टमनाḥone whose mind was not very pleased (not highly delighted)

क्षिप्रम्quickly

अभवत्became / was

सःhe

पराड्मुखःturned away / with face averted

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Karṇa

Duryodhana

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights a moral-psychological point: when counsel or speech does not align with one’s desire or pride, even close allies may respond with visible withdrawal. Such reactions signal inner resistance and can foreshadow ethical and strategic breakdown in leadership.

What is happening in the narrative?

After Karṇa speaks to him, Duryodhana is not pleased. He immediately turns away, indicating displeasure and a refusal—at least emotionally—to accept what Karṇa has said.