Mahabharata — Vana Parva, Shloka 27
Draupadī-apaharaṇa-saṃdeśaḥ
Report of Draupadī’s Abduction and the Pāṇḍavas’ Pursuit
वैशम्पायन उवाच एवमुकक््त्वा परिष्वज्य दैत्यास्तं राजकुञ्जरम् । समाश्चास्य च दुर्धर्ष पुत्रवद् दानवर्षभा:
vaiśampāyana uvāca | evam uktvā pariṣvajya daityās taṃ rāja-kuñjaram | samāśvāsya ca durdharṣaṃ putravad dānava-vṛṣabhāḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana berkata: Setelah berkata demikian, para Daitya memeluk “gajah di antara raja-raja” itu (Duryodhana). Para Dānava yang gagah laksana lembu jantan itu menenteramkan putera yang sukar ditundukkan itu seolah-olah anak mereka sendiri, meneguhkan tekadnya. Kemudian, dengan kata-kata yang manis, mereka mengizinkannya berangkat, mendesaknya maju dan meraih kemenangan atas musuh-musuhnya.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the moral ambiguity of encouragement: affection and reassurance can strengthen resolve, but when directed toward enmity and conquest it can propel one further from restraint and dharma, accelerating the path to destructive conflict.
After speaking to Duryodhana, the Daityas/Danavas embrace him, comfort him like a son, stabilize his determination, and then give him leave to depart with the exhortation to go and secure victory over his enemies.