Shloka 11

Āśā-prabhava (आशाप्रभव) — On the Rise and Power of Hope/Expectation

Sumitra Itihāsa Begins

Devanagari script

दुर्योधन उवाच दश तानि सहस्राणि स्नातकानां महात्मनाम्‌ | भुज्जते रुक्मपात्रीभिय्युधिष्ठिरनिवेशने

Transliteration

duryodhana uvāca daśa tāni sahasrāṇi snātakānāṃ mahātmanām | bhuñjate rukmapātrībhiḥ yudhiṣṭhira-niveśane ||

Translation

杜尤陀那说道：“父王啊，在由提施提罗的宫邸之中，有一万名高怀的 स्नātaka 婆罗门，每日用膳皆以金盘奉食。”

Word by Word

• दुर्योधनः: Duryodhana
• दुर्योधनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्योधन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• दश: ten
• दश: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दश
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Plural

• तानि: those
• तानि: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Plural

• सहस्राणि: thousands
• सहस्राणि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Plural

• स्नातकानाम्: of स्नातक (graduates/ritually bathed, learned Brahmins)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नातक
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• महात्मनाम्: of great-souled (men)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• भुञ्जते: eat / partake (of food)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज्
• Form: Present, 3rd, Plural, Atmanepada

• रुक्मपात्रीभिः: with golden vessels/plates
• रुक्मपात्रीभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुक्मपात्री
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Plural

• युधिष्ठिरनिवेशने: in Yudhiṣṭhira's residence/palace
• युधिष्ठिरनिवेशने: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिरनिवेशन
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

Speaker

दुर्योधन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Duryodhana
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• snātaka Brahmins
• golden vessels/plates (rukmapātra)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights a dharmic ideal of kingship: sustaining learned and disciplined Brahmins through daily hospitality and patronage. At the same time, it implicitly warns that observing another’s prosperity can provoke envy and rivalry if not tempered by self-control and ethical discernment.

What is happening in the narrative?

Duryodhana reports to his father about the scale of Yudhiṣṭhira’s household generosity—ten thousand snātaka Brahmins being fed daily in golden vessels—emphasizing Yudhiṣṭhira’s wealth, prestige, and the public honor that such largesse brings.