Shloka 17
अक्षदेवन-प्रवर्तनम् | Commencement of the Dice Game
पिताजी! लोग जल लानेके लिये पूर्वसे पश्चिम समुद्रतक जाते हैं, दक्षिण समुद्रकी भी यात्रा करते हैं ।।
tāta! lokā jalaṃ hartuṃ pūrvāt paścima-samudraṃ yānti, dakṣiṇa-samudram api yānti. uttaraṃ tu na gacchanti vinā tāta patattribhiḥ. tatra samadadhmuḥ śataśaḥ śaṅkhān maṅgalakārakān; tena me romāṇi harṣam āpannāni. tatra ye tejo-hīnā bhūpālāḥ, te bhayāt mūrcchitāḥ papātuḥ.
杜尤陀那说道：“父王啊！世人取水，能自东方远行至西海，也能跋涉至南海；唯独北海，无人敢往——除飞鸟之外。然而阿周那竟也抵达其处。灌顶之时，数百吉祥法螺齐声猛吹，声震四方，使我毛发皆竖。那些缺乏真正光辉的诸王，因恐惧而昏厥倒地。”
दुर्योधन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights how true ‘tejas’ (royal-spiritual splendor and capability) manifests as confidence and steadiness, while those lacking inner strength are shaken by auspicious signs favoring a rival. It also shows how envy interprets another’s success as a threat rather than as merit.
Duryodhana reports to his father that ordinary people travel to the western and southern seas, but the northern sea is considered unreachable except by birds—yet Arjuna has reached it. During the consecration ceremony, many conches sound loudly, creating a powerful omen; Duryodhana is shaken, and other kings faint from fear.