Shloka 6

Śiśupāla’s Protest Against the Arghya to Kṛṣṇa (शिशुपाल-आक्षेपः)

Devanagari script

दुर्योधनपुरोगाश्व भ्रातर: सर्व एव ते । गान्धारराज: सुबल: शकुनिश्च महाबल:

Transliteration

duryodhana-purogāś ca bhrātaraḥ sarva eva te | gāndhāra-rājaḥ subalaḥ śakuniś ca mahābalaḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana nói: Tất cả những người anh em ấy, lấy Duryodhana làm đầu, đều có mặt tại đó; lại có vua xứ Gandhāra là Subala, cùng Śakuni—kẻ hùng mạnh về sức lực và thế lực.

Word by Word

दुर्योधनपुरोगाःhaving Duryodhana in front; led by Duryodhana

भ्रातरःbrothers

सर्वेall

एवindeed/just

तेthey/those

गान्धारराजःthe king of Gandhāra

सुबलःSubala (name)

शकुनिःŚakuni (name)

चand

महाबलःvery strong/mighty

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Duryodhana

the Kaurava brothers

Gandhāra

Subala

Śakuni

Vaiśampāyana

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how leadership and alliances amplify collective power: Duryodhana stands at the forefront, supported by his brothers and reinforced by Gandhāra’s royal house. Ethically, it hints that strength and unity can be directed toward either dharma or adharma; here, the consolidation of power serves a faction whose choices will intensify injustice and conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana enumerates key members of Duryodhana’s side: the Kaurava brothers under Duryodhana’s leadership, and the Gandhāran figures Subala and Śakuni. This functions as a roll-call establishing who is present and influential in the Sabha Parva setting, preparing the reader for ensuing counsel, schemes, and confrontations.