Shloka 44

Duryodhana’s Post-Duel Lament and Instructions (भग्नसक्थस्य विलापः)

Devanagari script

मया च स्वयमागम्य युद्धकाल उपस्थिते । सर्वलोकस्य सांनिध्ये ग्रामांस्त्वं पडच याचित:,“जब युद्धका अवसर उपस्थित हुआ, उस समय मैंने स्वयं आकर शान्ति स्थापित करनेके लिये सब लोगोंके सामने आपसे केवल पाँच गाँव माँगे थे

Transliteration

mayā ca svayam āgamya yuddhakāla upasthite | sarvalokasya sānnidhye grāmāṁs tvaṁ pañca yācitaḥ ||

Translation

ヴァイシャンパーヤナは言った。「戦の時が迫ったとき、私は自ら皆の前に赴き、和を立てんとして、あなたにただ五つの村のみを求めた。」

Word by Word

मयाby me

चand

स्वयम्personally

आगम्यhaving come

युद्धकालat the time of battle

उपस्थितेwhen (it was) present/arrived

सर्वलोकस्यof all people

सान्निध्येin the presence

ग्रामान्villages

त्वम्you

पञ्चfive

याचितःwas requested/asked for

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

five villages (pañca grāmāḥ)

the public assembly (sarvaloka)

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 at the brink of war, dharma favors exhausting peaceful, proportionate remedies. A minimal, publicly made request underscores ethical restraint and highlights the moral weight of rejecting reconciliation.

What is happening in the narrative?

The speaker recalls personally approaching the opposing side, in the presence of all, to ask for only five villages as a peace settlement—an attempt to prevent the impending war.