Shloka 16
Kuntī–Karṇa Saṃvāda: Lineage Disclosure and Appeal to Fraternal Dharma
Devanagari script
अयं त्वेको वृथादृष्टिर्धार्तराष्ट्रस्य दुर्मते:
Transliteration
ayaṁ tv eko vṛthādṛṣṭir dhārtarāṣṭrasya durmateḥ
Translation
परंतु धृतराष्ट्रपुत्र त्या दुर्मतीची ही एकच दृष्टी व्यर्थ व भ्रमित आहे.
Word by Word
अयम्this (man/one)
अयम्:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootइदम्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
तुbut/indeed
तु:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु
एकःalone/one
एकः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootएक
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
वृथा-दृष्टिःone whose view is vain/false-sighted
वृथा-दृष्टिः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootवृथा-दृष्टि
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
धार्तराष्ट्रस्यof Dhṛtarāṣṭra (i.e., Duryodhana)
धार्तराष्ट्रस्य:
TypeNoun
Rootधार्तराष्ट्र
FormMasculine, Genitive, Singular
दुर्मतेःof the evil-minded one
दुर्मतेः:
TypeNoun
Rootदुर्मति
FormMasculine, Genitive, Singular
Speaker
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Characters & Entities
V
VaiśampāyanaD
Dhārtarāṣṭra (son/descendant of Dhṛtarāṣṭra; Kaurava—contextually Duryodhana)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
A morally distorted mind produces a “vṛthā-dṛṣṭi”—a futile, misguided outlook—showing how unethical intent and poor judgment can harden into a single stubborn course that leads away from dharma.
Vaiśampāyana comments on the Kaurava side’s stance, characterizing the Dhārtarāṣṭra’s (typically Duryodhana’s) chosen view as vain and wrong-headed, underscoring the ethical failure that drives the conflict toward war.