Shloka 22

Devanagari script

अथ दुर्योधन राजा धृतराष्ट्रो5भ्यभाषत । आसीन भ्रातृभि: सार्ध राजभि: परिवारितम्‌,तत्पश्चात्‌ राजा धृतराष्ट्रने राजाओंसे घिरकर भाइयोंके साथ बैठे हुए दुर्योधनसे कहा --

Transliteration

atha duryodhano rājā dhṛtarāṣṭro 'bhyabhāṣata | āsīnaṃ bhrātṛbhiḥ sārdhaṃ rājabhiḥ parivāritam ||

Translation

Затем царь Дхритараштра обратился к царю Дурьодхане, сидевшему вместе с братьями и окружённому другими царями.

Word by Word

अथthen

दुर्योधनःDuryodhana

राजाthe king

धृतराष्ट्रःDhritarashtra

अभ्यभाषतspoke to / addressed

आसीनम्seated

भ्रातृभिःwith brothers

सार्धम्together (with)

राजभिःby/with kings

परिवारितम्surrounded

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Duryodhana

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Kaurava brothers

kings (allied rulers)

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 frames a moment of counsel in a politically charged court: leadership decisions are shaped not only by personal intent but also by the surrounding circle of power. It hints at the ethical tension between dharma-guided advice and the intoxicating reinforcement of allies.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates that Dhṛtarāṣṭra speaks to Duryodhana, who is seated with his brothers and surrounded by other kings—setting the stage for a consequential exchange in the lead-up to the Kurukṣetra conflict.