Shloka 33

Devanagari script

तत्तु दुर्योधन: श्रुत्वा द्रोणपुत्रस्य भाषितम्‌ | घोरमप्रियमाख्यातुं नाशक्नोत्‌ पार्थिवर्षभ:,द्रोणपुत्र अश्वत्थामाकी यह बात सुनकर नृपश्रेष्ठ दुर्योधन यह घोर अप्रिय समाचार स्वयं उससे न कह सका

Transliteration

tat tu duryodhanaḥ śrutvā droṇaputrasya bhāṣitam | ghoram apriyam ākhyātuṁ nāśaknot pārthivarṣabhaḥ ||

Translation

サンジャヤは言った。ドローナの子の言葉を聞くや、王たちの中の最たる者、ドゥルヨーダナ王は、その凄惨で耳に痛い知らせを自ら告げることができなかった。

Word by Word

तत्that (news/thing)

तुbut

दुर्योधनःDuryodhana

श्रुत्वाhaving heard

द्रोणपुत्रस्यof Droṇa's son (Aśvatthāman)

भाषितम्speech; what was said

घोरम्terrible

अप्रियम्unpleasant

आख्यातुम्to tell; to report

नnot

अशक्नोत्was not able

पार्थिवर्षभःbull among kings; best of kings

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sanjaya

Duryodhana

Droṇa

Aśvatthāmā

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even a powerful ruler can be inwardly defeated by the moral and emotional weight of truth. The verse highlights the ethical strain of conveying painful facts in war—leadership is tested not only by action but by the courage to speak unwelcome truth.

What is happening in the narrative?

After hearing Aśvatthāmā’s report, Duryodhana is overwhelmed by the dreadfulness of the message and cannot bring himself to communicate it. Sanjaya narrates this moment of hesitation and inner turmoil.