Shloka 17
अक्षदेवन-प्रवर्तनम् | Commencement of the Dice Game
पिताजी! लोग जल लानेके लिये पूर्वसे पश्चिम समुद्रतक जाते हैं, दक्षिण समुद्रकी भी यात्रा करते हैं ।।
tāta! lokā jalaṃ hartuṃ pūrvāt paścima-samudraṃ yānti, dakṣiṇa-samudram api yānti. uttaraṃ tu na gacchanti vinā tāta patattribhiḥ. tatra samadadhmuḥ śataśaḥ śaṅkhān maṅgalakārakān; tena me romāṇi harṣam āpannāni. tatra ye tejo-hīnā bhūpālāḥ, te bhayāt mūrcchitāḥ papātuḥ.
Duryodhana disse: «Pai! As pessoas vão buscar água desde o leste até o oceano do oeste, e também viajam ao oceano do sul. Mas ao oceano do norte ninguém vai—exceto as aves. E, no entanto, Arjuna chegou até lá. No momento da consagração, centenas de conchas auspiciosas foram sopradas juntas com grande força, e meus pelos se eriçaram. E os reis que careciam de verdadeiro esplendor tombaram, desfalecidos de medo.»
दुर्योधन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights how true ‘tejas’ (royal-spiritual splendor and capability) manifests as confidence and steadiness, while those lacking inner strength are shaken by auspicious signs favoring a rival. It also shows how envy interprets another’s success as a threat rather than as merit.
Duryodhana reports to his father that ordinary people travel to the western and southern seas, but the northern sea is considered unreachable except by birds—yet Arjuna has reached it. During the consecration ceremony, many conches sound loudly, creating a powerful omen; Duryodhana is shaken, and other kings faint from fear.