Shloka 231

धृतराष्ट्रस्य वनप्रस्थानानुज्ञा | Permission for Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Forest-Retirement

Devanagari script

युधिष्ठिरगते राज्ये प्राप्तश्चास्मि सुखं महत्‌ । मन्ये दुर्योधनैश्वर्याद्‌ विशिष्टमिति सत्तमा:

Transliteration

yudhiṣṭhiragate rājye prāptaś cāsmi sukhaṃ mahat | manye duryodhanaiśvaryād viśiṣṭam iti sattamaḥ ||

Translation

வைசம்பாயனர் கூறினார்—யுதிஷ்டிரனிடம் அரசாட்சி சென்றபின் எனக்கும் பெரும் மகிழ்ச்சி கிடைத்தது. ஓ சத்புருஷரே, இதை துரியோதனனின் முன்னைய ஆட்சிச் செல்வத்தைக் காட்டிலும் மேலானதாக நான் கருதுகிறேன்।

Word by Word

युधिष्ठिरगतेwhen (the kingdom) had gone to Yudhiṣṭhira / in the state of Yudhiṣṭhira's accession

राज्येin the kingdom

प्राप्तःhaving obtained / having attained

चand

अस्मिI am

सुखम्happiness

महत्great

मन्येI think / I consider

दुर्योधनैश्वर्यात्than Duryodhana's sovereignty

विशिष्टम्superior / distinguished

इतिthus / that

सत्तमःO best of the good (vocative sense: O excellent one)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Yudhiṣṭhira

Duryodhana

rājya (the kingdom/sovereignty)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse contrasts two models of sovereignty: rule grounded in dharma (Yudhiṣṭhira) versus rule driven by unjust ambition (Duryodhana). It implies that the moral quality of governance directly affects collective well-being, making righteous kingship ‘superior’ not merely politically but ethically.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Vaiśampāyana’s narration, a speaker expresses relief and happiness that the kingdom is now under Yudhiṣṭhira’s authority, judging this situation better than the earlier period when Duryodhana held power.