Shloka 65

Dvaipāyana-hrade Duryodhanasya Māyā — Yudhiṣṭhirasya Dharmoktiḥ (Śalya-parva, Adhyāya 30)

Devanagari script

विष्टभ्य सलिल सुप्तो धार्तराष्ट्री महाबल: । पाण्डवाश्चापि सम्प्राप्तास्तं देशं युद्धमीप्सव:,इधर महाबली धृतराष्ट्रपुत्र दुर्योधन पानी बाँधकर सो गया। इतनेहीमें युद्धकी अभिलाषा रखनेवाले पाण्डव भी वहाँ आ पहुँचे

Transliteration

viṣṭabhya salilaṃ supto dhārtarāṣṭrī mahābalaḥ | pāṇḍavāś cāpi samprāptās taṃ deśaṃ yuddham īpsavaḥ ||

Translation

三阇耶说道：那位强大的持国（Dhṛtarāṣṭra）之子在水中支撑着身子，躺下歇息。就在此时，般度五子（Pāṇḍava）也来到此地，怀着求战之心。

Word by Word

विष्टभ्यhaving propped up / having supported

सलिलम्water

सुप्तःslept / lying asleep

धार्तराष्ट्रीthe son of Dhritarashtra (Duryodhana)

महाबलःmighty-strong

पाण्डवाःthe Pandavas

चand

अपिalso

सम्प्राप्ताःhaving arrived / arrived

तम्that

देशम्place / region

युद्धम्battle

ईप्सवःdesiring / wishing for

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Duryodhana

Pāṇḍavas

water (salila)

that place/region (deśa)

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 underscores the inevitability of accountability in war and kingship: even when a powerful ruler seeks concealment or respite, the consequences of prior choices draw the conflict to a decisive confrontation. It also reflects the kṣatriya ethos—those who seek battle (yuddham īpsavaḥ) move toward resolution rather than avoidance.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Duryodhana, the mighty son of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, is resting while supported in water, and at that moment the Pāṇḍavas arrive at the same location, eager to fight—setting the stage for the climactic encounter.