Shloka 29

Devanagari script

कि नु नो विद्यते कृत्यं धनेन धनलिप्सया

Transliteration

ki nu no vidyate kṛtyaṃ dhanena dhanalipsayā

Translation

ଦୁର୍ଯ୍ୟୋଧନ କହିଲା—ଧନ ଓ ଧନଲୋଭରେ ପ୍ରେରିତ ହୋଇ, ଆମର କେଉଁ କର୍ତ୍ତବ୍ୟ ଏପର୍ଯ୍ୟନ୍ତ ଅପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ ରହିଛି?

Word by Word

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: neuter, nominative/accusative, singular

• नु: indeed/then (interrogative emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नु

• नः: to us/for us (or: of us)
• नः: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: genitive/dative, plural

• विद्यते: exists/is found
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (विद्य्) / √विद् (सत्तायाम्) (विद्यते = 'exists')
• Form: present, 3rd, singular, ātmanepada

• कृत्यम्: duty/task (something to be done)
• कृत्यम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृत्य
• Form: neuter, nominative/accusative, singular

• धनेन: by/with wealth
• धनेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन
• Form: neuter, instrumental, singular

• धनलिप्सया: by desire for wealth
• धनलिप्सया: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन-लिप्सा
• Form: feminine, instrumental, singular

Speaker

दुर्योधन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Duryodhana

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The line exposes how craving for wealth can distort one’s sense of duty: when actions are driven by dhanalipsā (covetousness), ‘kṛtya’ (right obligation) is redefined to serve acquisition rather than dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the tense context of the Drona Parva, Duryodhana speaks in a provocative, self-justifying tone, framing the situation as if no further obligation remains except what is propelled by wealth and the hunger for it—revealing the mindset fueling continued conflict.