Shloka 13

Adhyāya 128 — Proposal to Restrain Keśava; Sātyaki’s Warning and Vidura–Dhṛtarāṣṭra Counsel

Devanagari script

अशक्योड्द्य त्वया राजन्‌ विनिवर्तयितुं बलात्‌ । राजन! इस दुर्योधनको काम और क्रोधने अपने वशमें कर लिया है, यह लोभमें फँस गया है; अतः आज आपका इसे बलपूर्वक पीछे लौटाना असम्भव है ।। राष्ट्रप्रदाने मूढस्य बालिशस्य दुरात्मन:

Transliteration

aśakyo ’dya tvayā rājan vinivartayituṃ balāt | rāṣṭrapradāne mūḍhasya bāliśasya durātmanaḥ ||

Translation

ବୈଶମ୍ପାୟନ କହିଲେ—ହେ ରାଜନ୍, ଆଜି ତୁମ ପାଇଁ ତାକୁ ବଳପୂର୍ବକ ପଛକୁ ଫେରାଇବା ଅସମ୍ଭବ। ରାଜ୍ୟ ଦାନର ବିଷୟରେ ସେ ମୋହଗ୍ରସ୍ତ, ବାଳିଶ, ଦୁରାତ୍ମା ପୁରୁଷ କାମ, କ୍ରୋଧ ଓ ଲୋଭର ବଶରେ ପଡ଼ିଛି; ତାକୁ ରୋକିହେବ ନାହିଁ।

Word by Word

• अशक्यः: impossible
• अशक्यः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अशक्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उद्यः: today
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उद्य

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Instrumental, Singular

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• विनिवर्तयितुम्: to turn back, to make return
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-नि-वृत्
• Form: Tumun (infinitive)

• बलात्: by force, forcibly
• बलात्: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• राष्ट्रप्रदाने: in the giving of the kingdom
• राष्ट्रप्रदाने: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: राष्ट्र-प्रदान
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• मूढस्य: of the deluded one
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मूढ
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• बालिशस्य: of the childish/foolish one
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बालिश
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• दुरात्मनः: of the wicked-souled one
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुरात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• rājan (the king addressed)
• Duryodhana
• rāṣṭra (kingdom)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A person dominated by kāma (desire), krodha (anger), and lobha (greed) becomes resistant to wise counsel; when delusion hardens into obstinacy, even rightful and ethical settlements (like yielding a kingdom to avert harm) may become practically impossible without coercion.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana comments that the king being addressed cannot, at this moment, compel Duryodhana to retreat or agree to the surrender/return of the kingdom; Duryodhana is portrayed as deluded and morally compromised, making peaceful reversal unlikely.