Shloka 23
उद्योगपर्व — अध्याय ५४: दुर्योधनस्य धृतराष्ट्रं प्रति बलप्रशंसन-युक्तः आश्वासनवादः
Duryodhana’s Reassurance and Force-Praise to Dhritarashtra
इत्येषां निश्चयो ह्वासीत् तत्कालेडमिततेजसाम् । पुरा परेषां पृथिवी कृत्स्ना$$सीद् वशवर्तिनी,इन अमिततेजस्वी भीष्म आदिने उसी समय युद्धमें हमारा साथ देनेका दृढ़ निश्चय कर लिया था। पहले यह सारी पृथ्वी हमारे शत्रुओंके काबूमें थी, किंतु अब हमारे हाथमें आ गयी है। हमारे ये शत्रु अब हमें युद्धमें जीतनेकी शक्ति नहीं रखते। सहायकोंके अभावमें पाण्डव पंख कटे हुए पक्षीके समान असहाय एवं पराक्रमशून्य हो गये हैं
ity eṣāṁ niścayo hy āsīt tat-kāle ’mitatejasām | purā pareṣāṁ pṛthivī kṛtsnā āsīd vaśavartinī ||
杜尤陀那说道：“因此，在那时，那些威力无量之人立下了坚定的决意（与我们同在）。从前，这整个大地都在我方对手的掌控之下；而今却已落入我们手中。”
दुर्योधन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a recurring Mahabharata tension: political control and military strength can create a sense of rightful dominance, yet dharma is not established merely by possession of power. Duryodhana equates territorial control and strong allies with moral and strategic certainty, illustrating how pride and power can obscure ethical judgment.
Duryodhana is asserting that powerful figures (implied allies of great might) have resolved to support his side, and he claims that whereas the land was once under the opponents’ influence, it is now under his control—using this as a rhetorical basis for confidence on the eve of conflict.