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” ।।

Transliteration

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

Translation

وَیشَمپایَن نے کہا—اس کے بعد دُریودھن نے اپنے ہزاروں خادموں کو حکم دیا—“بہت سے کھیل کے منڈپ تیار کرو۔” وہ فرمانبردار خادم “تھاستُو” کہہ کر کوروَو کے حکم کو مانتے ہوئے، تفریح کی تیاری کے ارادے سے، دَویتَوَن کے جھیل کے قریب جا پہنچے۔

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.