Shloka 50
गदायुद्धप्रतिज्ञा — The Vow and Terms of the Mace Duel
अहं वनं गमिष्यामि हाजिनै: प्रतिवासित:ः । रतिर्हि नास्ति मे राज्ये हतपक्षस्थ भारत,भरतनन्दन! मैं मृगचर्म धारण करके वनमें चला जाऊँगा। अपने पक्षके लोगोंके मारे जानेसे अब इस राज्यमें मेरा तनिक भी अनुराग नहीं है
ahaṁ vanaṁ gamiṣyāmi hājinaiḥ prativāsitaḥ | ratir hi nāsti me rājye hatapakṣastha bhārata ||
अहं वनं गमिष्यामि मृगचर्मपरिच्छदः। रतिर्हि नास्ति मे राज्ये हतपक्षस्य भारत॥
दुर्योधन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how sovereignty and worldly gain lose their meaning when obtained at the cost of one’s own people; attachment to power collapses under the weight of grief and the moral consequences of destructive conflict.
In the aftermath of catastrophic losses on his side, Duryodhana expresses despair and disillusionment with kingship, declaring that he will abandon the kingdom and go to the forest wearing deer-skins like an ascetic.