Shloka 16

Virāṭa-sabhāyāṃ Saṃniveśaḥ — Assembly at Virāṭa’s Hall and Kṛṣṇa’s Diplomatic Counsel

Devanagari script

मिथ्योपचारेण यथा हाुनेन कृच्छं महत्‌ प्राप्तमसहा[रूपम्‌ | न चापि पार्थो विजितो रणे तैः स्वतेजसा धृतराष्ट्रस्य पुत्र:

Transliteration

mithyopacāreṇa yathā hānena kṛcchraṁ mahat prāptam asahā-rūpam | na cāpi pārtho vijito raṇe taiḥ svatejasā dhṛtarāṣṭrasya putraiḥ ||

Translation

ମିଥ୍ୟା ବ୍ୟବହାର ଓ ଛଳ-କପଟ ଦ୍ୱାରା ପାଣ୍ଡବମାନେ ଯେ ମହାନ୍ ଓ ଅସହ୍ୟ ବିପତ୍ତି ଭୋଗିଲେ, ତାହା ଆପଣମାନଙ୍କୁ ଅଜଣା ନୁହେଁ। ଏବଂ କୁନ୍ତୀପୁତ୍ର ପାର୍ଥ (ଯୁଧିଷ୍ଠିର) ଧୃତରାଷ୍ଟ୍ରପୁତ୍ରମାନଙ୍କ ନିଜ ବଳ-ପରାକ୍ରମରେ କେବେ ଯୁଦ୍ଧରେ ପରାଜିତ ହୋଇନଥିଲେ; ଠକେଇରେ ତାଙ୍କର ରାଜ୍ୟ ହରଣ କରାଗଲା।

Word by Word

• मिथ्या: falsely, wrongly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मिथ्या

• उपचारेण: by (false) conduct/behavior, by treatment
• उपचारेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपचार
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• यथा: as, just as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• हानेन: by loss, by deprivation
• हानेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: हान
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• कृच्छ्रम्: hardship, distress
• कृच्छ्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृच्छ्र
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• महत्: great
• महत्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• प्राप्तम्: obtained, reached, undergone
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आप्
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• असहारूपम्: of unbearable nature/form
• असहारूपम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: असह-रूप
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• अपि: also, even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• पार्थः: Pārtha (son of Pṛthā; Arjuna/Yudhiṣṭhira per context)
• पार्थः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• विजितः: conquered, defeated
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-जि
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• रणे: in battle
• रणे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• तैः: by them
• तैः: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• स्वतेजसा: by (his/their) own splendor/valor
• स्वतेजसा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व-तेजस्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• धृतराष्ट्रस्य: of Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Type: Noun
• Root: धृतराष्ट्र
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• पुत्रैः: by the sons
• पुत्रैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

श्रीकृष्ण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Kṛṣṇa
• Pāṇḍavas
• Pārtha (Kuntīputra—contextually Yudhiṣṭhira)
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s sons (Kauravas)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Kṛṣṇa frames the conflict as a moral issue: the Pāṇḍavas’ suffering and loss of kingdom arose from deceitful conduct, not from legitimate victory in righteous battle. This underscores that adharma (fraud, छल-कपट) cannot be treated as rightful conquest.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the opening of Udyoga Parva, Kṛṣṇa reminds the assembled parties that the Kauravas did not win by valor; rather, through false dealings they caused the Pāṇḍavas immense hardship and seized their sovereignty, setting the ethical backdrop for the coming negotiations and war.