Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 62

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

Devanagari script

दुर्योधनस्त्वया चोक्तो जयार्थी परुषं वच: । शृणु मूढ वचो महां यतो धर्मस्ततो जय:

Transliteration

duryodhanas tvayā cokto jayārthī paruṣaṃ vacaḥ | śṛṇu mūḍha vaco mahān yato dharmas tato jayaḥ ||

Translation

വിജയം മോഹിച്ച ദുര്യോധനനോടു നീ കടുത്ത വാക്കുകൾ പറഞ്ഞു—‘ഹേ മൂഢാ! എന്റെ വാക്ക് കേൾക്ക; എവിടെ ധർമ്മമോ അവിടെയാണ് ജയം.’

Word by Word

• दुर्योधनः: Duryodhana
• दुर्योधनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्योधन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: त्वद्
• Form: —, Instrumental, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• उक्तः: spoken to / addressed
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular, Passive (PPP)

• जयार्थी: desiring victory
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जयार्थिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• परुषम्: harsh
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परुष
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• वचः: speech, words
• वचः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• शृणु: listen
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• मूढ: O fool
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूढ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• वचः: speech, words
• वचः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• महान्: the great one (speaker)
• महान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• यतः: where / from which side
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतस्

• धर्मः: dharma, righteousness
• धर्मः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ततः: there / from that side
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततस्

• जयः: victory
• जयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: जय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• वैशम्पायन (Vaiśampāyana)
• दुर्योधन (Duryodhana)
• धर्म (Dharma)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Victory is ultimately grounded in dharma: lasting success and legitimacy belong to the side aligned with righteousness, not merely to the side with power, strategy, or aggression.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana recounts that someone had earlier rebuked Duryodhana—who was intent on winning the war—urging him to heed a serious warning: the triumph of a cause depends on its adherence to dharma.