Shloka 23
Dhṛtarāṣṭra–Duryodhana Saṃvāda on Restraint and Rājānīti
Chapter 50
उपस्थितानां रत्नानां श्रेष्ठानामर्घहारिणाम् । नादृश्यत पर: पारो नापरस्तत्र भारत,भारत! वहाँ भेंट लाये हुए नरेशोंके द्वारा उपस्थित श्रेष्ठ और बहुमूल्य रत्नोंकी जो राशि एकत्र हुई थी, उसका आरपार दिखायी नहीं देता था
upasthitānāṁ ratnānāṁ śreṣṭhānām arghahāriṇām | nādṛśyata paraḥ pāro nāparastatra bhārata ||
Duryodhana berkata: “Wahai Bhārata! Timbunan permata yang terbaik dan paling bernilai, dibawa sebagai ufti oleh raja-raja yang berhimpun, begitu besar sehingga hujung jauhnya tidak kelihatan—bahkan hujung dekatnya pun tidak.”
दुर्योधन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how immense wealth and public display of tribute can intoxicate the mind with pride and fuel competition; ethically, it cautions that splendor without humility and restraint becomes a seed of conflict.
In the royal assembly context, Duryodhana describes the enormous accumulation of precious jewels brought by kings as tribute—so large that neither end of the pile could be seen—emphasizing the extraordinary scale of the offerings.