Shloka 29

Adhyāya 52 (Sabhā-parva): Vidura Invites Yudhiṣṭhira to Hastināpura for the Dice Match

Devanagari script

यज्ञसेनेन दासीनां सहस्राणि चतुर्दश । दासानामयुतं चैव सदाराणां विशाम्पते । गजयुक्ता महाराज रथा: षड्विंशतिस्तथा

Transliteration

yajñasenena dāsīnāṁ sahasrāṇi caturdaśa | dāsānām ayutaṁ caiva sadārāṇāṁ viśāmpate | gajayuktā mahārāja rathāḥ ṣaḍviṁśatis tathā ||

Translation

విశాంపతే! యజ్ఞసేనుడు పద్నాలుగు వేల దాసీలను, భార్యలతో కూడిన పది వేల దాసులను ఇచ్చాడు; మహారాజా, అలాగే గజయుక్తమైన ఇరవై ఆరు రథాలను కూడా.

Word by Word

• यज्ञसेनेन: by Yajñasena (Drupada)
• यज्ञसेनेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञसेन
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• दासीनाम्: of female slaves/maidservants
• दासीनाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दासी
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Plural

• सहस्राणि: thousands
• सहस्राणि: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• चतुर्दश: fourteen
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर्दश
• Form: Indeclinable (numeral used adjectivally), N/A, N/A

• दासानाम्: of male slaves/servants
• दासानाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दास
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• अयुतम्: ten thousand
• अयुतम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अयुत
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• एव: indeed/also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• सदाराणाम्: of those with wives (with their wives)
• सदाराणाम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सदार
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• विशाम्पते: O lord of the people
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशाम्पति
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• गजयुक्ताः: yoked with elephants
• गजयुक्ताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गजयुक्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• महाराज: O great king
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाराज
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• रथाः: chariots
• रथाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• षड्विंशतिः: twenty-six
• Type: Noun
• Root: षड्विंशति
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• तथा: likewise/also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

Speaker

दुर्योधन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Duryodhana
• Yajñasena (Drupada)
• chariots (ratha)
• elephants (gaja)
• maidservants (dāsī)
• male servants (dāsa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse implicitly critiques a value-system where political worth is measured by quantities of wealth, servants, and military assets. In the Sabha narrative, such accounting underscores attachment, rivalry, and pride—traits that erode dharma when prestige becomes the primary aim.

What is happening in the narrative?

Duryodhana is reporting or boasting about the scale of resources and gifts associated with Yajñasena (Drupada): thousands of maidservants, ten thousand male servants with their wives, and a specified number of elephant-equipped chariots. The speech functions as a tally of material and martial strength within the royal court setting.