Shloka 42
Vyāsa’s Vision, the Power of Bhāgavatam, and the Arrest of Aśvatthāmā
तथाहृतं पशुवत् पाशबद्ध- मवाङ्मुखं कर्मजुगुप्सितेन । निरीक्ष्य कृष्णापकृतं गुरो: सुतं वामस्वभावा कृपया ननाम च ॥ ४२ ॥
tathāhṛtaṁ paśuvat pāśa-baddham avāṅ-mukhaṁ karma-jugupsitena nirīkṣya kṛṣṇāpakṛtaṁ guroḥ sutaṁ vāma-svabhāvā kṛpayā nanāma ca
Śrī Sūta Gosvāmī sagte: Draupadī sah dann Aśvatthāmā, der wie ein Tier mit Seilen gefesselt war und wegen seiner schändlichen Tat den Kopf gesenkt hielt. Aufgrund ihrer weiblichen Natur und ihres Mitleids erwies sie ihm als Sohn des Gurus den gebührenden Respekt.
Aśvatthāmā was condemned by the Lord Himself, and he was treated by Arjuna just like a culprit, not like the son of a brāhmaṇa or teacher. But when he was brought before Śrīmatī Draupadī, she, although begrieved for the murder of her sons, and although the murderer was present before her, could not withdraw the due respect generally offered to a brāhmaṇa or to the son of a brāhmaṇa. This is due to her mild nature as a woman. Women as a class are no better than boys, and therefore they have no discriminatory power like that of a man. Aśvatthāmā proved himself to be an unworthy son of Droṇācārya or of a brāhmaṇa, and for this reason he was condemned by the greatest authority, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, and yet a mild woman could not withdraw her natural courtesy for a brāhmaṇa.
FAQs
Because of his horrific, condemnable act, he was captured and brought restrained, illustrating how grievous wrongdoing leads to humiliation and accountability.
Seeing him as the son of her guru Droṇācārya, she responded from her naturally gentle disposition and compassion, choosing a dharmic, soft-hearted stance even toward an enemy.
It teaches balancing justice with compassion—recognizing wrongdoing clearly while still cultivating restraint, empathy, and respect for higher principles (dharma) rather than acting only from anger.