Shloka 29
Devanagari script
कि नु नो विद्यते कृत्यं धनेन धनलिप्सया
Transliteration
ki nu no vidyate kṛtyaṃ dhanena dhanalipsayā
Translation
कि नु नो विद्यते कृत्यं धनेन धनलिप्सया?
Word by Word
किम्what
किम्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootकिम्
Formneuter, nominative/accusative, singular
नुindeed/then (interrogative emphasis)
नु:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootनु
नःto us/for us (or: of us)
नः:
Sampradana
TypePronoun
Rootअस्मद्
Formgenitive/dative, plural
विद्यतेexists/is found
विद्यते:
TypeVerb
Rootविद् (विद्य्) / √विद् (सत्तायाम्) (विद्यते = 'exists')
Formpresent, 3rd, singular, ātmanepada
कृत्यम्duty/task (something to be done)
कृत्यम्:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootकृत्य
Formneuter, nominative/accusative, singular
धनेनby/with wealth
धनेन:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootधन
Formneuter, instrumental, singular
धनलिप्सयाby desire for wealth
धनलिप्सया:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootधन-लिप्सा
Formfeminine, instrumental, singular
Speaker
दुर्योधन उवाच
Characters & Entities
D
DuryodhanaCharacter Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Cross References
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
The line exposes how craving for wealth can distort one’s sense of duty: when actions are driven by dhanalipsā (covetousness), ‘kṛtya’ (right obligation) is redefined to serve acquisition rather than dharma.
In the tense context of the Drona Parva, Duryodhana speaks in a provocative, self-justifying tone, framing the situation as if no further obligation remains except what is propelled by wealth and the hunger for it—revealing the mindset fueling continued conflict.