Shloka 22
Jatugṛha-dāhānantara-vṛttāntaḥ
Aftermath of the Lac House Fire
अर्जुनेति जन: वलच्चित् कश्चित् कर्णेति भारत । वद्िद् दुर्योधनेत्येवं ब्रुवन्त: प्रस्थितास्तदा,भारत! उस समय दर्शकोंमेंसे कोई अर्जुनकी, कोई कर्णकी और कोई दुर्योधनकी प्रशंसा करते हुए चले गये
arjuneti janaḥ valaccit kaścit karṇeti bhārata | vadid duryodhanety evaṁ bruvantaḥ prasthitās tadā ||
Vaiśampāyana thưa: “Hỡi Bhārata, khi ấy đám đông khán giả ra về; kẻ thì tán dương ‘Arjuna!’, người thì ‘Karna!’, lại có kẻ hô ‘Duryodhana!’—cứ thế họ rời đi, ai theo lòng mình mà ngợi ca.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how public praise is divided and subjective: different people elevate different heroes. It subtly points to the power—and instability—of reputation, and how admiration can align with personal bias rather than a single, settled standard of merit.
After witnessing a display of prowess, the spectators disperse. As they leave, they voice admiration for different figures—some for Arjuna, some for Karna, and some for Duryodhana—showing the competitive atmosphere and the emerging polarization around these leading warriors.