Shloka 23
Yudhiṣṭhira’s Lament for Karṇa and Renunciation-Oriented Self-Assessment (शोक-प्रलापः / त्याग-प्रवृत्तिः)
सदैव निकृतिप्रज्ञो द्वेश मायोपजीवन: । मिथ्याविनीत: सततमस्मास्वनपकारिषु
sadaiva nikṛtiprajño dveṣa-māyopajīvanaḥ | mithyā-vinītaḥ satatam asmāsv anapakāriṣu ||
ユディシュティラは言った。「ドリタラーシュトラは常に欺きに鍛えられた心を持ち、憎しみと策謀によって生きていた。われらが彼に何の害もなさなかったのに、彼は絶えず偽りの謙遜だけを示し——その思いはいつも、われらを欺くことへと傾いていた。」
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse condemns governance and relationships driven by hatred and deception: pretended humility and reliance on guile are ethical failures, especially when directed against the harmless. It highlights that inner intention (buddhi/prajñā) matters more than outward politeness.
In Yudhiṣṭhira’s reflection, he characterizes Dhṛtarāṣṭra as consistently hostile toward the Pāṇḍavas despite their lack of wrongdoing, accusing him of sustained deceitful intent and of masking it with feigned humility.