Shloka 16
अहं हि पाण्डवान् हत्वा प्रशास्ता पृथिवीमिमाम् | मां वा हत्वा पाण्डुपुत्रा भोक्तार: पृथिवीमिमाम्,या तो मैं ही पाण्डवोंको मारकर इस पृथ्वीका शासन करूँगा या पाण्डव ही मुझे मारकर भूमण्डलका राज्य भोगेंगे
ahaṃ hi pāṇḍavān hatvā praśāstā pṛthivīm imām | māṃ vā hatvā pāṇḍuputrā bhoktāraḥ pṛthivīm imām ||
ദുര്യോധനൻ പറഞ്ഞു—ഞാൻ പാണ്ഡവരെ വധിച്ച് ഈ ഭൂമിയെ ഭരിക്കും; അല്ലെങ്കിൽ പാണ്ഡുപുത്രർ എന്നെ വധിച്ച് ഈ ഭൂമിയുടെ രാജ്യം അനുഭവിക്കും.
दुर्योधन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights Duryodhana’s rigid, power-centered mindset: he reduces the dispute to victory through killing or death in battle, treating sovereignty as the sole measure of success. Ethically, it illustrates how attachment to rule and refusal to compromise can eclipse dharma and make war appear inevitable.
In the Udyoga Parva’s pre-war negotiations and declarations, Duryodhana voices his determination not to yield. He asserts that the outcome will be decided only by combat: either he will eliminate the Pāṇḍavas and reign, or they will kill him and take the kingdom.