Mahabharata 11.1.273 — Stree Parva, Adhyaya 1, Shloka 273
स्त्रीपर्व १: धृतराष्ट्रशोकः संजयाश्वासनं च
Strī Parva 1: Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Lament and Saṃjaya’s Consolation
शल्यश्न येन वै सर्व शल्यभूतं कृतं जगत् । “दुःशासन
śalyaiḥ śalyam yena vai sarvaṃ śalyabhūtaṃ kṛtaṃ jagat | duḥśāsanaḥ durātmā rādhāputraḥ karṇaḥ duṣṭātmā śakuniḥ durbuddhiḥ citrasenaḥ tathā | ye sarvaṃ jagat śalyamayaṃ (kaṇṭakākīrṇaṃ) kṛtavantaḥ te śalyāḥ—ete eva duryodhanasya mantriṇaḥ āsan |
毗舍摩波耶那说道：正是那些人——如荆棘一般，使整个世界化作痛苦之地——即杜沙娑那、心性邪恶的罗陀之子迦尔那、阴毒的沙昆尼、献策昏愚的质多罗仙那以及其他人，使世间变得“遍布芒刺”。这些荆棘般的人，正是都利约陀那的诸大臣与近侍谋臣；他们的计议助长残酷，把事态推向毁灭。
वैशमग्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse condemns destructive counsel: when leaders surround themselves with morally corrupt advisers, their influence becomes like thorns that wound society. Ethical governance requires wise, dharmic counsel; otherwise adharma spreads and collective suffering follows.
In the opening of the Strī Parva, Vaiśaṃpāyana characterizes Duryodhana’s key associates—Duḥśāsana, Karṇa, Śakuni, Citrasena, and others—as ‘thorns’ who made the world painful. The statement frames the aftermath of war by identifying the toxic circle that fueled hostility and catastrophe.
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