Shloka 68
Adhyāya 45 — Duryodhana’s Distress, Śakuni’s Counsel, and the Summons for Dyūta
एको दुर्योधनो राजा शकुनिश्चापि सौबल: । तस्यां सभायां दिव्यायामूषतुस्तो नरर्षभौ
eko duryodhano rājā śakuniś cāpi saubalaḥ | tasyāṃ sabhāyāṃ divyāyām ūṣatus tau nararṣabhau, rājan |
Vaiśampāyana nói: Hỡi Đại vương, chỉ riêng vua Duryodhana và cả Śakuni—con của Subala—hai bậc hùng trượng phu ấy vẫn lưu lại trong đại sảnh hội nghị huyền diệu kia, đúng lúc Śrī Kṛṣṇa, viên ngọc trên đỉnh của họ Yadu, rời đi về Dvārakā.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how key political actors choose to remain in the court even after Kṛṣṇa’s departure, implying calculated intent. Ethically, it points to the importance of vigilance about motives in power-centers: who stays behind, and why, can signal forthcoming schemes and the erosion of dharma in governance.
Vaiśampāyana narrates that Duryodhana and Śakuni stayed back in the splendid assembly hall. In the surrounding narrative context, Kṛṣṇa—described as the foremost of the Yadu line—has departed for Dvārakā, while these two remain, setting the stage for further court developments driven by their counsel and designs.