Shloka 11
Dhṛtarāṣṭra–Duryodhana Dialogue on Peace and the Refusal of Compromise
सत्यव्रते पुरुमित्रे भूरिश्रवसि वा पुन: । अन्येषु वा तावकेषु भारं कृत्वा समाह्दयम्
satyavrate purumitre bhūriśravasi vā punaḥ | anyeṣu vā tāvakeṣu bhāraṃ kṛtvā samāhṛdayam |
ದುರ್ಯೋಧನನು ಹೇಳಿದನು—ಸತ್ಯವ್ರತ, ಪುರುಮಿತ್ರ, ಭೂರಿಶ್ರವ ಅಥವಾ ನಿಮ್ಮ ಪಕ್ಷದ ಇತರ ಯೋಧರ ಮೇಲೆ ಸಂಪೂರ್ಣ ಭಾರವನ್ನು ಹಾಕಿ, ಮನಸ್ಸನ್ನು ಕಠಿಣಗೊಳಿಸಿ, ನಾನು ಪಾಂಡವರನ್ನು ಯುದ್ಧಕ್ಕೆ ಸವಾಲು ಹಾಕಿಲ್ಲ.
दुर्योधन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical tension between personal agency and reliance on others: Duryodhana insists his decision for war is not merely because he can ‘load the burden’ onto powerful allies, but because he has chosen it. The subtext critiques how resolve can be used to rationalize adharma when ambition and pride override reconciliation.
In Udyoga Parva’s pre-war negotiations, Duryodhana speaks defensively about his stance toward the Pāṇḍavas. He names notable Kaurava-side warriors and claims he did not challenge the Pāṇḍavas simply by depending on them to carry the war’s burden; rather, he portrays his position as a deliberate commitment.