Shloka 8

Śānti-parva Adhyāya 44 — Post-War Reassignment of Residences and Restorative Consolation (शान्तिपर्व अध्याय ४४)

Devanagari script

यथा दुर्योधनगृहं तथा दुःशासनस्य तु । प्रासादमालासंयुक्ते हेमतोरणभूषितम्‌,जैसा दुर्योधनका भवन सजा हुआ था, वैसा ही दुःशासनका भी था। उसमें भी प्रासादमालाएँ शोभा दे रही थीं। वह सोनेकी बंदनवारोंसे सजाया गया था। प्रचुर धन-धान्य तथा दास-दासियोंसे भरा-पूरा था। राजाकी आज्ञासे वह भवन महाबाहु अर्जुनको मिला

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | yathā duryodhanagṛhaṃ tathā duḥśāsanasya tu | prāsādamālāsaṃyukte hema-toraṇa-bhūṣitam |

Translation

毗湿摩波耶那说道：“都利约陀那的居所如何，杜沙娑那的亦复如是——高楼列列，金门煌煌。”此等描绘凸显俱卢族（Kaurava）的奢华与势力，并在《寂静品》中立起道德对照：外在的辉耀与真正法（dharma）所要求的内在自律相对而立。

Word by Word

• {'yathā': 'just as

• in the manner that', 'duryodhana-gṛham': 'Duryodhana’s house/palace', 'tathā': 'so

• likewise', 'duḥśāsanasya': 'of Duḥśāsana', 'tu': 'indeed

• but (emphatic particle)', 'prāsāda': 'palace

• lofty building', 'mālā': 'garland

• row/series (here: a series/array)', 'saṃyukte': 'joined with

• endowed with', 'hema': 'gold', 'toraṇa': 'archway

• ornamental gateway', 'bhūṣitam': 'adorned

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Duryodhana
• Duḥśāsana
• gṛha (palace/house)
• prāsāda (palace)
• toraṇa (golden archway)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights outward magnificence—palaces and golden gateways—inviting reflection typical of the Śānti Parva: material splendor and political might are not themselves dharma; ethical restraint and right conduct are the true measures of nobility.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes Duḥśāsana’s residence as matching Duryodhana’s in grandeur, emphasizing the Kauravas’ shared royal opulence through imagery of palace-rows and gold-decorated gateways.