Shloka 2
Rājasūyābhiṣeka-darśana: Duryodhana’s Observation of the Consecration
प्रियकृन्मतमाज्ञाय पूर्व दुर्योधनस्य तत् । प्रज्ञाचक्षुपमासीनं शकुनि: सौबलस्तदा
priyakṛnmatam ājñāya pūrvaṁ duryodhanasya tat | prajñācakṣum āsīnaṁ śakuniḥ saubalastadā ||
Sinabi ni Vaiśampāyana: Nang matiyak muna niya ang layuning kaayon ng nais ni Duryodhana, si Śakuni, anak ni Subala, ay lumapit kay Dhṛtarāṣṭra na marunong—bagaman bulag, nakaupo siyang wari’y may paningin ng karunungan. Ipinapakita ng taludtod na ito na ang darating na payo ay may kalkulasyon at pagkiling: iniayon ni Śakuni ang sarili sa pagnanasa ni Duryodhana bago humarap sa matandang hari, at sinimulan ang payong higit na sumusunod sa kapakinabangan kaysa sa dharma.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how counsel can be ethically compromised when it begins by aligning with what is merely ‘pleasing’ (priyakṛt) rather than what is right. It implicitly warns that advice given to power, when driven by partisanship and desire, can become a vehicle for adharma.
Śakuni, after first understanding and adopting Duryodhana’s preferred intention, goes to the blind king Dhṛtarāṣṭra (called prajñācakṣuḥ, ‘wise-eyed’) who is seated in court, preparing to speak in a way that supports Duryodhana’s agenda.