Shloka 20
नाप्राप्य पाण्डवैश्वर्य संशयो मे भविष्यति । अवाप्स््ये वा श्रियं तां हि शयिष्ये वा हतो युधि,जबतक मैं पाण्डवोंकी सम्पत्तिको प्राप्त न कर लूँ, तबतक मेरे मनमें दुविधा ही रहेगी। इसलिये या तो मैं पाण्डवोंकी उस सम्पत्तिको ले लूँगा अथवा युद्धमें मरकर सो जाऊँगा (तभी मेरी दुविधा मिटेगी)
nāprāpya pāṇḍavaiśvaryaṃ saṃśayo me bhaviṣyati | avāpsye vā śriyaṃ tāṃ hi śayiṣye vā hato yudhi ||
Duryodhana mengisytiharkan: “Selagi aku belum memperoleh kedaulatan dan kekayaan milik para Pāṇḍava, fikiranku akan terus dilanda ragu dan gelisah. Maka aku memilih jalan yang paling tegas: sama ada aku merampas kemakmuran itu untuk diriku, atau aku gugur terbunuh di medan perang dan berbaring dalam kematian—hanya ketika itu, pada sangkaanku, pertentangan dalam batinku akan berakhir.”
दुर्योधन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse illustrates how obsession with another’s prosperity breeds perpetual inner turmoil (saṃśaya) and drives one toward unethical extremes. Duryodhana frames peace as impossible without possession, revealing a mindset where desire overrides dharma and makes violence or self-destruction seem acceptable.
In the Sabha Parva context, Duryodhana is voicing his agitation after witnessing the Pāṇḍavas’ rising splendor. He expresses a hard resolve: he will not rest until he acquires their royal fortune, and if he cannot, he prefers death in battle—signaling the escalation toward conflict.