Shloka 3
Śikhaṇḍin’s Transformation, Daśārṇa Verification, and Kubera’s Conditional Curse
Udyoga Parva 193
दुर्योधन: किलापृच्छदापगेयं महाव्रतम् । केन कालेन पाण्डूनां हन्या: सैन्यमिति प्रभो,युधिष्ठिर बोले--धृतराष्ट्रकी सेनामें जो मेरे गुप्तचर नियुक्त हैं, उन्होंने मुझे यह समाचार दिया है कि इसी विगत रात्रिमें दुर्योधनने महान् व्रतधारी गंगानन्दन भीष्मसे यह प्रश्न॒ किया था कि प्रभो! आप पाण्डवोंकी सेनाका कितने समयमें संहार कर सकते हैं
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca | duryodhanaḥ kilāpṛcchad āpageyaṃ mahāvratam | kena kālena pāṇḍūnāṃ hanyāḥ sainyam iti prabho ||
दुर्योधनः किलापृच्छदापगेयं महाव्रतम्—केन कालेन पाण्डूनां हन्याः सैन्यमिति प्रभो।
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores how adharma manifests as a cold, instrumental view of war—measuring victory by the speed of destruction rather than by justice. It contrasts Yudhiṣṭhira’s concern and moral awareness with Duryodhana’s fixation on annihilating opponents.
On the eve of conflict, Yudhiṣṭhira reports intelligence from his spies: Duryodhana has approached Bhīṣma and asked how quickly Bhīṣma could wipe out the Pāṇḍava forces. This sets the tone for the strategic and ethical tensions leading into the war.