Shloka 20

Devanagari script

शासने नित्यसंयुक्त दःशासनमनन्तरम्‌ | सह वृद्धैस्तु सम्मन्त्रय क्षिप्रं योजय वाहिनीम्‌,वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--जनमेजय! राजा दुर्योधनने सूर्यपुत्र कर्णकी बात मानकर अपनी आज्ञाका पालन करनेके लिये सदा संनद्ध रहनेवाले छोटे भाई दुःशासनको स्वयं ही तुरंत आदेश दे दिया--“वृद्धजनोंकी सम्मति लेकर शीघ्र अपनी सेनाको प्रस्थानके लिये तैयार करो

Transliteration

śāsane nityasaṁyuktaṁ duḥśāsanam anantaram | saha vṛddhais tu sammantrya kṣipraṁ yojaya vāhinīm ||

Translation

毗湿摩波耶那说道：随即，杜律约陀那王命令其弟杜沙萨那——素来奉命不怠者——道：“与诸长老商议之后，速速整编军旅，备好出征。”

Word by Word

शासनेin (his) command/obedience

नित्य-संयुक्तम्always engaged/ever devoted

दुःशासनम्Duhshasana

अनन्तरम्immediately/without delay

सहtogether with

वृद्धैःwith the elders

तुbut/indeed

सम्मन्त्रयconsult (deliberate)

क्षिप्रम्quickly

योजयprepare/arrange (set in readiness)

वाहिनीम्the army

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Janamejaya

Duryodhana

Duḥśāsana

vṛddhāḥ (the elders/senior Kuru counselors)

vāhinī (the army)

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even when a ruler is intent on swift action, the verse foregrounds the norm of seeking counsel from elders; it presents consultation as a legitimizing step before mobilizing force, while also showing how quickly counsel can be subordinated to an already-decided military agenda.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Vaiśampāyana’s narration to King Janamejaya, Duryodhana immediately instructs Duḥśāsana—known for prompt obedience—to consult senior figures and rapidly organize the Kuru forces for departure.