Shloka 7

Ādi-parva, Adhyāya 187: Drupada’s Inquiry and the Dharma Debate on Draupadī’s Marriage

Devanagari script

यद्येष दर्पद्धिर्षाद्‌ वाप्यथ ब्राह्णचापलात्‌ | प्रस्थितो धनुरायन्तुं वार्यतां साधु मा गमत्‌,“यदि यह अभिमान, हर्ष अथवा ब्राह्मणसुलभ चंचलताके कारण धनुषपर डोरी चढ़ानेके लिये आगे बढ़ा है तो इसे रोक देना चाहिये; अच्छा तो यही होगा कि यह जाय ही नहीं!

Transliteration

yadyeṣa darpād dhṛṣād vāpy atha brāhmaṇacāpalāt | prasthito dhanur āyantuṁ vāryatāṁ sādhu mā gamat ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana sprach: „Wenn dieser Mann vorgetreten ist, um den Bogen zu bespannen, aus Stolz, aus tollkühner Vermessenheit oder aus bloßer brahmanischer Unbeständigkeit, dann soll man ihn zurückhalten. Am besten wäre, er ginge überhaupt nicht.“

Word by Word

यदिif

एषःthis (man)

दर्पात्from pride / due to pride

हर्षात्from excitement / due to joy

वाor

अथor else / then

ब्राह्मणचापलात्from brahmin-like fickleness / due to brahminical caprice

प्रस्थितःhaving set out / having proceeded

धनुःthe bow

आयन्तुम्to string / to fit (the bowstring)

वार्यताम्let him be restrained / he should be stopped

साधुwell; rightly; better

माdo not

गमत्let him go

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśaṃpāyana

bow (dhanuḥ)

bowstringing (āyantum)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse warns that actions driven by pride, rash bravado, or unstable impulse should be checked. Ethical conduct requires restraint and discernment before undertaking a consequential act.

What is happening in the narrative?

A person is about to step forward to string a bow—an act that can signal readiness for a major trial or confrontation. The speaker advises others to stop him if his motive is mere ego, reckless daring, or capriciousness, implying the situation demands seriousness and right intention.