Shloka 246

Karṇa’s advance against the Pāṇḍava host; Arjuna’s clash with the Saṃśaptakas (कर्णस्य पाण्डवसेनाप्रवेशः—अर्जुनस्य संशप्तकसंप्रहारः)

Devanagari script

महदैश्वर्यमिच्छन्तस्त्रिपुरं दुर्गमाश्रिता: । वे सब-के-सब मांसभक्षी और अत्यन्त अभिमानी थे। पूर्वकालमें देवताओंने उनके साथ बहुत छल-कपट किया था। अतः वे महान ऐश्वर्यकी इच्छा रखते हुए त्रिपुर-दुर्गके आश्रयमें आये थे

Transliteration

mahadaiśvaryam icchantas tripuraṃ durgam āśritāḥ |

Translation

ମହା ଐଶ୍ୱର୍ୟ ଆକାଂକ୍ଷା କରି ସେମାନେ ଦୁର୍ଗମ ତ୍ରିପୁର-ଦୁର୍ଗର ଆଶ୍ରୟ ନେଲେ। ସେମାନେ ସମସ୍ତେ ମାଂସଭକ୍ଷୀ ଓ ଅତ୍ୟନ୍ତ ଅଭିମାନୀ ଥିଲେ। ପୂର୍ବକାଳରେ ଦେବତାମାନେ ସେମାନଙ୍କ ସହ ବହୁ ଛଳ-କପଟ କରିଥିଲେ; ତେଣୁ ମହା ସାମ୍ରାଜ୍ୟର ଲୋଭରେ ସେମାନେ ତ୍ରିପୁର କୋଟରେ ଆଶ୍ରିତ ହେଲେ।

Word by Word

महत्great

ऐश्वर्यम्sovereignty, lordship, power

इच्छन्तःdesiring

त्रिपुरम्Tripura (the threefold city/fortress)

दुर्गम्hard to access, impregnable

आश्रिताःhaving taken refuge in, resorted to

Speaker

दुर्योधन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Duryodhana

Tripura (fortress/stronghold)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how the craving for aiśvarya (dominion) can drive beings to seek safety in seemingly invincible structures; ethically, it cautions that power pursued through mere fortification and pride tends to oppose dharma and invites eventual downfall.

What is happening in the narrative?

Duryodhana describes a group characterized by intense desire for sovereignty who, for protection and strategic advantage, withdraw into the hard-to-conquer stronghold called Tripura.