Shloka 23
द्रौपदी-स्वयंवर-प्रारम्भः
Commencement of Draupadī’s Svayaṃvara
ततः स नृपतिस्तेन रक्षसान्तर्गतेन वै । बलवत् पीडित: पार्थ नान्यबुध्यत किंचन,कुन्तीनन्दन! भीतर घुसे हुए राक्षससे अत्यन्त पीड़ित हो उन नरेशको किसी भी बातकी सुध-बुध न रही
tataḥ sa nṛpatis tena rakṣasāntargatena vai | balavat pīḍitaḥ pārtha nānyabudhyata kiñcana ||
Daraufhin wurde jener König, da der Rākṣasa in ihn eingedrungen war, mit großer Wucht gepeinigt. O Pārtha, von diesem wilden Leiden überwältigt, vermochte er nichts mehr zu erkennen.
गन्धर्व उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights that when destructive forces take hold within—symbolized by a rākṣasa entering a person—clarity and moral discernment collapse. For a ruler especially, inner self-control is essential; without it, one cannot recognize what is right or act responsibly.
A king is described as being internally entered/possessed by a rākṣasa and consequently suffering intense torment. Addressing Pārtha (Arjuna), the speaker states that the king, overwhelmed by this affliction, loses all awareness and cannot understand anything.