Shloka 19

Bhīṣma’s Admonition; Duryodhana’s Rājasūya Aspiration and the Proposal of a Vaiṣṇava-satra

Devanagari script

भारत! तदनन्तर दुर्योधनने अपने सहस्रों सेवकोंको आज्ञा दी--'तुमलोग बहुत-से क्रीडामण्डप तैयार करो” ।। ते तथेत्येव कौरव्यमुक्त्वा वचनकारिण: । चिकीर्षन्तस्तदा55क्रीडाञ्जम्मुर्दतवनं सर:,आज्ञाकारी सेवक दुर्योधनसे “तथास्तु'” कहकर क्रीडाभवन बनानेकी इच्छासे द्वैतवनके सरोवरके निकट गये

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | te tathety eva kauravya-muktvā vacana-kāriṇaḥ | cikīrṣantas tadā krīḍān jagmur dvaitavanaṁ saraḥ ||

Translation

ไวศัมปายนะกล่าวว่า—ครั้นแล้วทุรโยธนะมีบัญชาแก่บ่าวไพร่เป็นพัน ๆ ว่า “จงจัดเตรียมมณฑปสำหรับการเล่นให้มากมาย” เหล่าผู้รับใช้ผู้เชื่อฟังนั้นทูลรับว่า “เป็นดังนั้น” แล้วออกไปด้วยหมายจะจัดการมหรสพ ครั้นไปถึงใกล้สระในป่าทไวตวนะ ก็เริ่มเตรียมศาลาเริงรมย์ตามพระบัญชา

Word by Word

• ते: they
• ते: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तथा: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• इति: so/quoting marker
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

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

• कौरव्यम्: to the Kaurava (Duryodhana)
• कौरव्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौरव्य
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• उक्त्वा: having said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Active, Non-finite

• वचनकारिणः: obedient (doers of the word)
• वचनकारिणः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वचनकारिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• चिकीर्षन्तः: wishing to do/make
• चिकीर्षन्तः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तदा: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

• क्रीडान्: play-places/sporting (halls/grounds)
• क्रीडान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रीडा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Plural

• जग्मुः: they went
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम्
• Form: Perfect, 3rd, Plural, Active

• द्वैतवनम्: to Dvaitavana (the forest named Dvaita)
• द्वैतवनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वैतवन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• सरः: lake
• सरः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Janamejaya (implied by address kauravya)
• Duryodhana
• Kauravas
• servants/attendants
• Dvaitavana
• lake (saraḥ)
• krīḍāmaṇḍapa (pleasure pavilion; from the prose context)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the power dynamics of kingship: subordinates quickly execute a ruler’s wishes. Ethically, it invites reflection on how obedience can become complicity when commands serve arrogance or provocation rather than self-restraint and dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Duryodhana’s attendants respond ‘tathāstu’ and go to Dvaitavana’s lake to set up arrangements for games/pleasures—preparing pavilions and amusements as part of the unfolding encounter in the forest setting.