Shloka 23

Devanagari script

तं च यज्ञ तथाभूतं दृष्टवा पार्थस्य मातुल । यथा शक्रस्य देवेषु तथाभूतं महाद्युते:,दुर्योधनने कहा--मामाजी! मैंने देखा है, श्वेतवाहन महात्मा अर्जुनके अस्त्रोंके प्रतापसे जीती हुई यह सारी पृथ्वी युधिष्ठिरके वशमें हो गयी है। महातेजस्वी युधिष्ठिरका वह राजसूययज्ञ उसी प्रकार सम्पन्न हुआ है, जैसे देवताओंमें देवराज इन्द्रका यज्ञ पूर्ण हुआ था। यह सब देखकर मैं दिन-रात ईष्यासे भरा ठीक उसी प्रकार जलता रहता हूँ, जैसे ग्रीष्म- ऋतुमें थोड़ा-ला जल जल्दी सूख जाता है

Transliteration

duryodhana uvāca — taṃ ca yajñaṃ tathābhūtaṃ dṛṣṭvā pārthasya mātula | yathā śakrasya deveṣu tathābhūtaṃ mahādyuteḥ ||

Translation

Duryodhana disse: “Ó tio materno de Pārtha (Arjuna), tendo visto o sacrifício Rājasūya realizado com tal grandeza—como o sacrifício de Indra entre os deuses—eu me consumo por dentro. Ao ver o poderoso esplendor surgido do êxito dos Pāṇḍavas, meu coração arde de inveja dia e noite.”

Word by Word

तम्him/that (one)

चand

यज्ञम्sacrifice, ritual

तथाthus, in that manner

भूतम्become, having occurred; being in that state

दृष्ट्वाhaving seen

पार्थस्यof Partha (Arjuna)

मातुलmaternal uncle (O uncle!)

यथाas, just as

शक्रस्यof Śakra (Indra)

देवेषुamong the gods

तथाthus, in that manner

भूतम्become; having taken place

महाद्युतेःof the great-splendored one

Speaker

दुर्योधन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Duryodhana

Śakuni (as mātula)

Pārtha (Arjuna)

Śakra (Indra)

Yudhiṣṭhira

Rājasūya-yajña

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 envy (īrṣyā) distorts judgment: instead of rejoicing in a kinsman’s success or recognizing merit, Duryodhana’s fixation on status and comparison turns prosperity into inner suffering, setting the stage for unethical choices.

What is happening in the narrative?

After Yudhiṣṭhira’s Rājasūya is completed with great splendour, Duryodhana speaks to Śakuni, comparing the sacrifice to Indra’s among the gods. His words reveal intense jealousy at the Pāṇḍavas’ rising power and prestige.