Shloka 216
द्वैपायनह्रदे दुर्योधनान्वेषणम् / The Search for Duryodhana at Dvaipāyana Lake
बलक्षयं तथा दृष्टवा स एक: पृथिवीपति: । संजय! मैं यह बात पूछ रहा हूँ
balakṣayaṃ tathā dṛṣṭvā sa ekaḥ pṛthivīpatiḥ | sañjaya! māṃ etāṃ bāt pṛcchāmi, tvaṃ me brūhi; yataḥ etat sarvaṃ vaktum tvaṃ kuśalaḥ | ātmanaḥ senāyāḥ saṃhāraṃ dṛṣṭvā eko vaśiṣṭaḥ mama mūḍhaḥ putro rājā duryodhanaḥ kim akarot?
持国王说道：“见到自己的军势覆灭，那位孤身残存的地上之王——三阇耶，我问你此事；请告诉我，因为你善于叙述一切经过——当他目睹军队被毁，我那迷妄的儿子、杜律约陀那王，孤零零一人时，做了什么？”
धृतराष्ट उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical consequence of delusion (mūḍhatā): when one’s power and supporters collapse, the true results of misguided choices become unavoidable. It frames Duryodhana’s isolation as the fruit of a destructive course, inviting reflection on responsibility and the cost of adharma.
After the Kaurava forces have been devastated, Dhṛtarāṣṭra anxiously questions Sañjaya about Duryodhana’s next actions—specifically what Duryodhana did when he found himself the lone surviving king, having witnessed the annihilation of his army.