Shloka 24
पुनर्द्यूत-समाह्वानम्
Renewed Summons to the Dice-Game and Exile Wager
ततः: सूतस्तस्य वशानुगामी भीतश्च कोपाद् द्रपदात्मजाया: । विहाय मान पुनरेव सभ्या- नुवाच कृष्णां किमहं ब्रवीमि
tataḥ sūtas tasya vaśānugāmī bhītaś ca kopād drapadātmajāyāḥ | vihāya mānaṃ punar eva sabhyān uvāca kṛṣṇāṃ kim ahaṃ bravīmi ||
قال فايشَمبايانا: ثم إنّ السُّوتا، وقد أُكره على العمل تحت سلطان سيده وخاف من غضب ابنة دروبادا، طرح كبرياءه جانبًا وخاطب أهل المجلس مرة أخرى؛ ثم قال لكِرِشنا (دراوبدي): «بماذا آمرُ أن أقول؟»
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how coercion and fear can force a person to act against dignity, yet it also exposes the ethical tension of being an instrument of another’s will in an unjust situation—especially in a public assembly where words carry moral weight.
A sūta, acting under his master’s command, becomes afraid of Draupadī’s anger. He drops his pride and turns back to address the court again, speaking to Draupadī and expressing uncertainty: “What am I to say?”