Shloka 31
Droṇa’s Ācārya-Dakṣiṇā: Capture of Drupada and Division of Pāñcāla (द्रोण-आचार्यदक्षिणा)
जनमेजय! तदनन्तर दुर्योधनने गंगातटपर जल-विहारके लिये ऊनी और सूती कपड़ोंके विचित्र एवं विशाल गृह तैयार कराये
Janamejaya! tadanantara Duryodhanena Gaṅgā-taṭe jala-vihārāya ūṇī-sūtī-vastraiḥ vicitraṃ ca viśālaṃ ca gṛhaṃ nirmāpayām āsa.
Sinabi ni Vaiśampāyana: “O Janamejaya, pagkaraan niyon ay ipinahanda ni Duryodhana sa pampang ng Ilog Gaṅgā ang isang maluwang at masalimuot na pabilion para sa paglilibang sa tubig, na nilagyan ng sari-saring telang lana at bulak.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how indulgence and display of wealth can become tools of status and rivalry; in the Mahābhārata’s ethical frame, such outward splendor often precedes inner tensions—envy, competition, and the erosion of restraint (dama).
After a preceding event, Duryodhana arranges a large, ornate structure on the Gaṅgā’s bank for water recreation, outfitted with woollen and cotton textiles—setting the scene for courtly leisure that can also serve as a stage for comparison and contest.