उद्योगपर्व — अध्याय ५४: दुर्योधनस्य धृतराष्ट्रं प्रति बलप्रशंसन-युक्तः आश्वासनवादः
Duryodhana’s Reassurance and Force-Praise to Dhritarashtra
उन्मत्तमिव चापि त्वां प्रहसन्तीह दुःखितम् | विलपन्तं बहुविधं भीत॑ परविकत्थने,इतनेपर भी आप शत्रुओंकी मिथ्या प्रशंसा सुनकर पागल-से हो उठे हैं और दुःखी एवं भयभीत होकर नाना प्रकारसे विलाप कर रहे हैं। यह सब देखकर ये राजालोग यहाँ हँस रहे हैं
unmattam iva cāpi tvāṁ prahasantiha duḥkhitam | vilapantaṁ bahuvidhaṁ bhītaṁ paravikatthane ||
उन्मत्तमिव चापि त्वां प्रहसन्तीह दुःखितम् । विलपन्तं बहुविधं भीतं परविकत्थने ॥ शत्रूणां मिथ्याप्रशंसां श्रुत्वा त्वं पागल इव जातः; दुःखितो भीतश्च नानाविधं विलपसि। तदिदं दृष्ट्वैवेमे राजानोऽत्र त्वां परिहासयन्ति।
दुर्योधन उवाच
The verse highlights a courtly-ethical warning: public loss of courage and indulging in talk that magnifies the enemy invites ridicule and weakens one’s standing. In a political crisis, composure and discernment in speech are treated as essential virtues.
In the Kuru assembly during the Udyoga Parva negotiations, Duryodhana rebukes a distressed interlocutor, saying that the gathered kings are laughing because the person appears panic-stricken and is lamenting after hearing boastful accounts about the enemy.