Shloka 10

Adhyāya 52 (Sabhā-parva): Vidura Invites Yudhiṣṭhira to Hastināpura for the Dice Match

Devanagari script

चन्दनागुरुकाष्ठानां भारान्‌ कालीयकस्य च । चर्मरत्नसुवर्णानां गन्धानां चैव राशय:

Transliteration

candana-aguru-kāṣṭhānāṁ bhārān kālīyakasya ca | carma-ratna-suvarṇānāṁ gandhānāṁ caiva rāśayaḥ, rājan |

Translation

Duryodhana nói: “Tâu Đại vương, cống phẩm chất thành đống: từng tải gỗ đàn hương, gỗ agaru, lại có cả kālīyaka; cùng vô số da thú, châu báu, vàng và các vật thơm. Thế mà các vua ấy, mang theo những lễ vật như vậy, lại bị bắt đứng chờ nơi cổng, bị ngăn lại và chịu nhục.”

Word by Word

• चन्दन: of sandalwood
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्दन
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• अगुरु: of agaru (aloeswood)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अगुरु
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• काष्ठानाम्: of woods/logs
• Type: Noun
• Root: काष्ठ
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• भारान्: loads/burdens
• भारान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भार
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• कालीयकस्य: of kālīyaka (a fragrant substance/wood)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कालीयक
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• चर्म: of hides/leather
• Type: Noun
• Root: चर्म
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• रत्न: of gems
• Type: Noun
• Root: रत्न
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• सुवर्णानाम्: of gold
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुवर्ण
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• गन्धानाम्: of fragrances/perfumes
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• एव: indeed/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• राशयः: heaps/piles
• राशयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राशि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

दुर्योधन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Duryodhana
• Rājan (the King addressed, i.e., Dhṛtarāṣṭra)
• sandalwood (candana)
• agarwood (aguru)
• kālīyaka (aromatic substance/wood)
• hides/leather (carma)
• gems (ratna)
• gold (suvarṇa)
• fragrances/perfumes (gandha)
• heaps/collections (rāśayaḥ)
• gate/doorway (implied by the narrative context)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how power and wealth should be handled with restraint and respect: obstructing or humiliating rightful guests and tribute-bearers violates proper royal conduct and fuels resentment—an ethical failure that contributes to larger conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Duryodhana reports to the king that many rulers arrived with rich tribute—sandalwood, agaru, kālīyaka, hides, gems, gold, and perfumes—but were stopped at the gate and left standing, implying a breach of courtly etiquette and an affront to those kings.