Shloka 22
Daitya-āśvāsana of Duryodhana; Karṇa’s assurance and the mobilization of the Kaurava host
वैशम्पायन उवाच एवमुक्त: शकुनिना धृतराष्ट्रो जनेश्वर: । दुर्योधनं सहामात्यमनुजज्ञे न कामत:,वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--जनमेजय! शकुनिके ऐसा कहनेपर राजा धृतराष्ट्रने इच्छा न होते हुए भी मन्त्रियों-सहित दुर्योधनको वहाँ जानेकी आज्ञा दे दी
Vaiśampāyana uvāca: evam uktaḥ Śakuninā Dhṛtarāṣṭro janeśvaraḥ | Duryodhanaṃ sahāmātyam anujajñe na kāmataḥ ||
Sinabi ni Vaiśampāyana: Nang masabi ni Śakuni ang gayon, ang haring si Dhṛtarāṣṭra, panginoon ng mga tao, bagaman hindi niya ninanais, ay nagkaloob pa rin ng pahintulot kay Duryodhana—kasama ang kaniyang mga ministro—na magtungo roon.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler’s responsibility is not merely to decide, but to decide rightly. Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s reluctant consent—given under another’s influence—illustrates ethical failure through weakness of will: permitting harmful action despite inner reluctance still makes one complicit in its consequences.
After Śakuni speaks and urges a course of action, Dhṛtarāṣṭra grants Duryodhana permission to go (along with his ministers). The narration highlights that the king does so unwillingly, signaling tension between conscience and political/familial pressure.