Shloka 31
Śakuni–Duryodhana-saṃvāda: Dyūta-yojanā (Śakuni and Duryodhana on Planning the Dice-Game)
इच्छत: सा हि सिंहस्य भीष्म जीवत्यसंशयम् | तद्वत् त्वमप्यधर्मिष्ठ सदा वाच: प्रभाषसे,निःसंदेह सिंहकी इच्छासे ही वह अबतक जी रही है। पापी भीष्म! इसी प्रकार तुम भी सदा बढ़-बढ़कर बातें करते हो
icchataḥ sā hi siṁhasya bhīṣma jīvati asaṁśayam | tadvat tvam apy adharmiṣṭha sadā vācaḥ prabhāṣase ||
Śiśupāla nói: “Hỡi Bhīṣma, không nghi ngờ gì, nó còn sống đến nay chỉ vì sư tử muốn thế. Cũng như vậy, ngươi—kẻ bất nghĩa—cứ luôn miệng nói những lời cao ngạo, trịch thượng, hết lần này đến lần khác.”
शिशुपाल उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how power and protection can enable continued existence and bold speech; it also illustrates the ethical danger of arrogance and abusive rhetoric in a royal assembly, where dharma should guide discourse.
In the royal court setting of the Sabha Parva, Śiśupāla is delivering a hostile speech and directly insults Bhīṣma, comparing someone’s survival to being spared by a lion’s whim and accusing Bhīṣma of constantly making overbearing pronouncements.