Shloka 31
दुर्योधनस्य बलिवर्णनम् — Duryodhana’s Description of Tribute at the Rājasūya
वल्लिमेव प्रवेक्ष्यामि भक्षयिष्यामि वा विषम् | अपो वापि प्रवेक्ष्यामि न हि शक्ष्यामि जीवितुम्,मैं आगमें प्रवेश कर जाऊँगा, विष खा लूँगा अथवा जलमें डूब मरूँगा, अब मैं जीवित नहीं रह सकूँगा
vallīm eva pravekṣyāmi bhakṣayiṣyāmi vā viṣam | apo vāpi pravekṣyāmi na hi śakṣyāmi jīvitum ||
वल्लीमिव प्रवेक्ष्यामि भक्षयिष्यामि वा विषम् । अपो वापि प्रवेक्ष्यामि न हि शक्ष्यामि जीवितुम् ॥
दुर्योधन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how attachment to status and wounded pride can drive a person toward destructive choices. Ethically, it contrasts resilience and accountability with escapism: when one’s identity is built on domination and prestige, humiliation can trigger extreme reactions rather than self-correction.
Duryodhana speaks in a moment of intense frustration and shame, declaring that he will end his life by fire, poison, or drowning. It is a rhetorical outburst that reveals his inner turmoil and the volatility that fuels the larger conflict.