Shloka 20

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

Devanagari script

ईषादन्तान्‌ हेमकक्षान्‌ पद्मवर्णान्‌ कुथावृतान्‌ । शैलाभान्‌ नित्यमत्तांक्षाप्पभित: काम्यकं सर:

Transliteration

īṣādantān hemakakṣān padmavarṇān kuthāvṛtān | śailābhān nityamattāṁś ca āpabhitaḥ kāmyakaṁ saraḥ ||

Translation

Duryodhana nói: “(Họ dâng) những voi có ngà dài như cán cày, buộc bằng dây vàng, sắc như hoa sen (trắng nhạt mà rạng), phủ vải quý. Trông chúng như núi, và dường như luôn trong cơn động dục. (Những lễ vật ấy được đem đến) gần hồ Kāmyaka, khi các vua—nhẫn nại và dòng dõi cao sang—lần lượt bước qua cổng, mỗi người dâng một nghìn voi.”

Word by Word

• ईषादन्तान्: having teeth like a plough-beam (very long/straight-tusked)
• ईषादन्तान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ईषादन्त
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• हेमकक्षान्: with golden girths/ropes (golden harnessed)
• हेमकक्षान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हेमकक्षा
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• पद्मवर्णान्: lotus-colored (pale/white like a lotus)
• पद्मवर्णान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पद्मवर्ण
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• कुथावृतान्: covered with blankets/saddle-cloths
• कुथावृतान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुथा-आवृत
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• शैलाभान्: mountain-like in appearance
• शैलाभान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शैलाभ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• नित्यमत्तान्: ever-maddened/always in rut
• नित्यमत्तान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नित्य-मत्त
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

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

• अप्पभितः: around, on all sides
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अभितः

• काम्यकम्: Kāmyaka (name of the place/forest/lake-region)
• काम्यकम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काम्यक
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• सरः: lake
• सरः: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

दुर्योधन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Duryodhana
• Kāmyaka lake (Kāmyaka saraḥ)
• elephants
• golden tethers/ropes (hema-kakṣāḥ)
• cloth coverings/caparison (kutha)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how political power is projected through lavish gifts and spectacle. Ethically, it invites reflection on how pride and rivalry can be fueled by displays of wealth, and how external grandeur may mask inner insecurity or ambition.

What is happening in the narrative?

Duryodhana describes (or points to) the grand procession of kings entering the gate, each presenting enormous tributes—especially thousands of richly caparisoned elephants—near the Kāmyaka lake, emphasizing the scale and splendor of the offerings.