Shloka 45

Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 123 — Bhīṣma–Droṇa–Vidura Upadeśa to Duryodhana

Keśava-vākya aftermath

Devanagari script

पाण्डवान्‌ पृष्ठतः कृत्वा त्राणमाशंससेडन्यतः । 'पाण्डवोंसे प्रेम रखनेपर तुम सम्पूर्ण मनोरथोंको प्राप्त कर लोगे। नृपश्रेष्ठ! तुम पाण्डवोंद्वारा स्थापित राज्यका उपभोग कर रहे हो, तो भी उन्हींको पीछे करके अर्थात्‌ उनकी अवहेलना करके दूसरोंसे अपनी रक्षाकी आशा रखते हो || ४४ ह ।। दुःशासने दुर्विषहे कर्णे चापि ससौबले

Transliteration

pāṇḍavān pṛṣṭhataḥ kṛtvā trāṇam āśaṃsase 'nyataḥ | pāṇḍavebhyaḥ prema rakṣaṇe tvam sampūrṇān manorathān avāpsyasi | nṛpaśreṣṭha! tvaṃ pāṇḍavaiḥ sthāpita-rājyam upabhuṅkṣe, tathāpi tān pṛṣṭhataḥ kṛtvā (tad-avajñayā) anyebhyaḥ rakṣām āśaṃsase || duḥśāsane durviṣahe karṇe cāpi sa-saubale ||

Translation

Vaiśaṃpāyana berkata: “Setelah engkau menolak para Pāṇḍava ke belakang, masihkah engkau mengharap perlindungan dari tempat lain? Jika engkau memelihara kasih dan kesetiaan kepada para Pāṇḍava, engkau akan mencapai segala tujuanmu. Wahai raja yang utama, engkau menikmati kerajaan yang ditegakkan oleh para Pāṇḍava; namun engkau mengabaikan mereka dan, menyingkirkan mereka, mengharap keselamatan daripada orang lain—seperti Duḥśāsana, Karṇa yang sukar ditandingi, dan Śakuni beserta sekutunya.”

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'पाण्डवान् (pāṇḍavān)', 'definition': 'the Pāṇḍavas

• the sons of Pāṇḍu'}, {'term': 'पृष्ठतः कृत्वा (pṛṣṭhataḥ kṛtvā)', 'definition': 'having put behind

• having sidelined/ignored'}, {'term': 'त्राणम् (trāṇam)', 'definition': 'protection, refuge, deliverance'}, {'term': 'आशंससे (āśaṃsase)', 'definition': 'you hope for

• you expect'}, {'term': 'अन्यतः (anyataḥ)', 'definition': 'from elsewhere

• from others'}, {'term': 'प्रेम (prema)', 'definition': 'affection, goodwill, loyal regard'}, {'term': 'सम्पूर्णान् मनोरथान् (sampūrṇān manorathān)', 'definition': 'all desired ends

• complete fulfillment of aims'}, {'term': 'नृपश्रेष्ठ (nṛpaśreṣṭha)', 'definition': 'best of kings (honorific address)'}, {'term': 'स्थापित-राज्य (sthāpita-rājya)', 'definition': 'a kingdom that has been established/secured (through someone’s efforts)'}, {'term': 'उपभोग (upabhoga / upabhuṅkṣe)', 'definition': 'enjoyment, possession, use'}, {'term': 'अवहेलना (avahelanā)', 'definition': 'disregard, contempt (sense conveyed in the passage)'}, {'term': 'दुःशासन (duḥśāsana)', 'definition': 'Duḥśāsana, a Kaurava prince'}, {'term': 'दुर्विषह (durviṣaha)', 'definition': 'hard to endure

• formidable'}, {'term': 'कर्ण (karṇa)', 'definition': 'Karṇa, ally of the Kauravas'}, {'term': 'ससौबल / स-शौबल (sa-saubala)', 'definition': 'together with Saubala (Śakuni) / with Śakuni and his party'}]

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• वैशम्पायन (Vaiśaṃpāyana)
• पाण्डव (Pāṇḍavas)
• दुःशासन (Duḥśāsana)
• कर्ण (Karṇa)
• शकुनि / सौबल (Śakuni / Saubala)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler should not seek security from opportunistic or aggressive allies while disregarding those to whom he owes his position. Ethical statecraft here emphasizes gratitude, loyalty, and choosing refuge in the righteous—maintaining goodwill toward the Pāṇḍavas is presented as the sure path to legitimate success.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Udyoga Parva’s pre-war negotiations, the narrator reports a pointed admonition to the king being addressed: although he enjoys a kingdom secured through the Pāṇḍavas, he sidelines them and expects protection from figures like Duḥśāsana, Karṇa, and Śakuni—an expectation portrayed as morally and politically misguided.