Shloka 37

Devanagari script

इच्छेयं च गदाहस्तं राजन द्रष्टं वृकोदरम्‌ । सुचिरं प्रार्थितो होष मम नित्यं मनोरथ:

Transliteration

iccheyaṃ ca gadāhastaṃ rājan draṣṭuṃ vṛkodaram | suciraṃ prārthito hoṣa mama nityaṃ manorathaḥ ||

Translation

దుర్యోధనుడు అన్నాడు—ఓ రాజా, గద చేతబట్టి ఉన్న వృకోదరుణ్ణి నేను చూడదలచుకున్నాను. చాలా కాలంగా ఇదే నా నిత్య మనోరథం—హృదయంలో ఎల్లప్పుడూ ప్రార్థించి దాచుకున్న కోరిక॥

Word by Word

इच्छेयम्I would like / I wish

चand

गदाहस्तम्having a mace in hand / mace-handed

राजन्O king

द्रष्टुम्to see

वृकोदरम्Vrikodara (Bhima)

सुचिरम्for a long time

प्रार्थितःrequested / prayed for

असिyou are

ममof me / my

नित्यम्always

मनोरथःdesire / wish

Speaker

दुर्योधन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Duryodhana

Vṛkodara (Bhīma)

gadā (mace)

rājan (the king addressed)

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 highlights how sustained inner desire—especially when driven by rivalry and pride—can shape one’s intentions and propel conflict. Ethically, it points to the danger of nurturing antagonistic wishes rather than seeking reconciliation.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Udyoga Parva’s pre-war negotiations and preparations, Duryodhana expresses his long-standing wish to see Bhīma (Vṛkodara) armed with a mace—anticipating a direct martial confrontation and revealing his fixation on a decisive duel.