Shloka 45
Droṇa’s Ācārya-Dakṣiṇā: Capture of Drupada and Division of Pāñcāla (द्रोण-आचार्यदक्षिणा)
ततो दुर्योधन: पापस्तद्धक्ष्ये कालकूटकम् । विषं प्रक्षेपपामास भीमसेनजिघांसया,तदनन्तर उस सुन्दर उद्यानमें क्रीड़ाके लिये आये हुए कौरव और पाण्डव एक-दूसरेके मुँहमें खानेकी वस्तुएँ डालने लगे। उस समय पापी दुर्योधनने भीमसेनको मार डालनेकी इच्छासे उनके भोजनमें कालकूट नामक विष डलवा दिया
tato duryodhanaḥ pāpas tad dhakṣye kālakūṭakam | viṣaṃ prakṣepapāmāsa bhīmasenajighāṃsayā ||
Então o pecaminoso Duryodhana, decidido a destruir Bhīmasena, mandou misturar em sua comida o veneno mortal chamado Kālakūṭa. Ao fundo, os Kauravas e os Pāṇḍavas—que haviam ido brincar naquele belo jardim—continuavam, entre risos, a pôr bocados na boca uns dos outros; mas o coração de Duryodhana fez daquela brincadeira inocente ocasião de traição e de tentativa de assassinato.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how envy and adharma corrupt even ordinary, innocent situations: Duryodhana’s intent to kill by poison exemplifies treachery and moral collapse, setting the ethical contrast between righteous conduct and destructive jealousy.
While the Kauravas and Pāṇḍavas are playfully sharing food during recreation in a garden, Duryodhana secretly arranges for the deadly poison Kālakūṭa to be mixed into Bhīma’s food, attempting to kill him.