Shloka 34

अध्याय ९ — कर्णस्य प्रहारः, योधयुग्मनियोजनम्, शैनेय-कैकेययोर्युद्धविन्यासः

Devanagari script

दुर्योधनस्य वृद्धयर्थ योडजयत्‌ पृथिवीं प्रभु: । स जित: पाण्डवै: शूरै:ः समरे बाहुशालिभि:,धृतराष्ट्र बोले--संजय! जिसने हमारे कार्यके लिये युद्धस्थलमें सम्पूर्ण काम्बोज- निवासियों, अम्बष्ठों, केकयों, गान्धारों और विदेहोंपर विजय पायी। इन सबको जीतकर जिसने दुर्योधनकी वृद्धिके लिये समस्त भूमण्डलको जीत लिया था। वही सामर्थ्यशाली कर्ण अपने बाहुबलसे सुशोभित होनेवाले शूरवीर पाण्डवोंद्वारा समरांगणमें परास्त हो गया

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca |

duryodhanasya vṛddhy-arthaṁ yo ’jayat pṛthivīṁ prabhuḥ |

sa jitaḥ pāṇḍavaiḥ śūraiḥ samare bāhuśālibhiḥ ||

Translation

毗湿摩波罗耶那说：那位为增长都利约陀那之势而征服大地的强大战士——终究在战场上被英勇的般度五子所击败；他们以臂力闻名。此颂揭示战争的道德反讽：为他人野心而追逐的世间扩张并不稳固；即便最可怖的冠军，也会在同样勇武——且在史诗的法（dharma）框架中更契合正法——的对手面前倾覆。

Word by Word

दुर्योधनस्यof Duryodhana

वृद्ध्यर्थम्for the increase (benefit)

यःwho

अजयत्conquered

पृथिवीम्the earth

प्रभुःthe lord, the mighty one

सःhe

जितःwas conquered/defeated

पाण्डवैःby the Pandavas

शूरैःby the heroic (ones)

समरेin battle

बाहुशालिभिःby those endowed with strong arms

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Duryodhana

Pāṇḍavas

Pṛthivī (the earth/realm)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the instability of power gained through conquest for another’s ambition: even a ‘world-conquering’ champion can be overturned. In the Mahābhārata’s ethical horizon, martial prowess alone is not ultimate; outcomes also reflect the larger moral and karmic order governing the war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes a reversal on the battlefield: the powerful warrior who had previously subdued realms to strengthen Duryodhana is now defeated in combat by the heroic, mighty-armed Pāṇḍavas.