Shloka 3

Rājasūyābhiṣeka-darśana: Duryodhana’s Observation of the Consecration

Devanagari script

दुर्योधनवच: श्रुत्वा धृतराष्ट्र जनाधिपम्‌ । उपगम्य महाप्राज्ञं शकुनिर्वाक्यमब्रवीत्‌

Transliteration

duryodhanavacaḥ śrutvā dhṛtarāṣṭra janādhipam | upagamya mahāprājñaṃ śakunir vākyam abravīt ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana nói: Nghe lời Duryodhana xong, Śakuni đến gần vua Dhṛtarāṣṭra, chúa tể loài người—bậc đại trí tuy mù lòa—và cất lời. Cảnh này mở đầu cho một lời khuyên có tính toán: sau bản tường trình của Duryodhana, Śakuni tiến đến để tác động vị vua già, khởi động những lựa chọn nơi tình chấp con và lợi thế chính trị dần che khuất dharma vô tư.

Word by Word

• दुर्योधनवचः: Duryodhana's words/speech
• दुर्योधनवचः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्योधन-वचस्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Karana
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral here), Non-finite

• धृतराष्ट्रम्: Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• धृतराष्ट्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धृतराष्ट्र
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• जनाधिपम्: lord of the people/king
• जनाधिपम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनाधिप
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• उपगम्य: having approached
• उपगम्य: Karana
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-गम्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral here), Non-finite

• महाप्राज्ञम्: the very wise
• महाप्राज्ञम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाप्राज्ञ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• शकुनिः: Śakuni
• शकुनिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शकुनि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वाक्यम्: speech/words
• वाक्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अब्रवीत्: said/spoke
• अब्रवीत्: Kriya
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Duryodhana
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Śakuni

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how counsel and proximity to power shape ethical outcomes: even a ruler famed for wisdom can be steered by persuasive advisers and familial attachment, leading to decisions that drift from dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

After hearing Duryodhana’s account, Śakuni goes to Dhṛtarāṣṭra and begins to speak—introducing the next phase of plotting and persuasion in the Sabha Parva storyline.