Shloka 9

Devanagari script

अद्य राजा धृतराष्ट्र: स्वां बुद्धिमवमंस्यते । दुर्योधनमराज्याहँ यया राज्ये5भ्यषेचयत्‌,“आज राजा धृतराष्ट्र अपनी उस बुद्धिका अनादर करेंगे, जिसके द्वारा उन्होंने राज्यके अनधिकारी दुर्योधनको राजाके पदपर अभिषिक्त कर दिया था

Transliteration

adyā rājā dhṛtarāṣṭraḥ svāṃ buddhim avamaṃsyate | duryodhanam arājyārhaṃ yayā rājye 'bhyasecayat ||

Translation

สัญชัยกล่าวว่า—วันนี้พระเจ้าธฤตราษฏระจักรังเกียจปัญญาของตนเอง—คำตัดสินนั้นเองที่เคยทำให้พระองค์ประกอบพิธีอภิเษกตั้งทุรโยธน์ ผู้ไม่สมควรครองราชย์ ขึ้นสู่ราชอำนาจ

Word by Word

अद्यtoday

राजाthe king

धृतराष्ट्रःDhritarashtra

स्वाम्his own

बुद्धिम्intelligence, judgment

अवमंस्यतेwill disrespect, will slight

दुर्योधनम्Duryodhana

अराज्यम्unfit for kingship, not entitled to the kingdom

ययाby which (by that)

राज्येin the kingdom / to kingship (as office)

अभ्यषेचयत्anointed, consecrated

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Duryodhana

rājya (kingship/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?

A ruler’s (or elder’s) flawed judgment—especially when it legitimizes an unworthy claimant—creates far-reaching harm; when consequences mature, the same decision becomes a source of remorse. The verse highlights accountability in governance and the ethical weight of endorsing adharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya, reporting the battlefield events and their implications, predicts Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s inner reversal: he will condemn the very policy by which he installed Duryodhana in power, recognizing that Duryodhana was not fit to rule and that this choice helped precipitate the catastrophe of war.