Shloka 10

Draupadī-vivāha-vidhāna

The Ritual Formalization of Draupadī’s Marriage

Devanagari script

एवं गते यत्‌ करणीयमत्र धर्म्य यशस्यं कुरु तद्‌ विचिन्त्य । पाज्चालराजस्य हित॑ं च यत्‌ स्यात्‌ प्रशाधि सर्वे सम वशे स्थितास्ते,ऐसी दशामें आप यहाँ अपनी बुद्धिसे विचार करके जो धर्म और यशके अनुकूल तथा पांचालराजके लिये भी हितकर कार्य हो, वह कीजिये और उसके लिये हमें आज्ञा दीजिये। हम सब लोग आपके अधीन हैं

Transliteration

evaṁ gate yat karaṇīyam atra dharmyaṁ yaśasyaṁ kuru tad vicintya | pāñcālarājasya hitaṁ ca yat syāt praśādhi sarve sama-vaśe sthitās te ||

Translation

Arjuna sprach: „Da die Dinge so weit gekommen sind, erwäge mit deinem eigenen Urteil und entscheide, was hier zu tun ist—was dem Dharma entspricht und ehrenvollen Ruhm bringt, und was zugleich dem Wohl des Königs der Pāñcālas dient. Befiehl uns danach; wir alle stehen unter deiner Autorität.“

Word by Word

• {'evaṁ gate': 'when things have turned out thus

• in this situation', 'yat ... karaṇīyam': 'what is to be done

• the proper course of action', 'atra': 'here

• in this matter', 'dharmyam': 'in accordance with dharma

• righteous', 'yaśasyam': 'bringing fame

• honorable', 'kuru': 'do

• decide/undertake', 'tad vicintya': 'having considered that

• after due reflection', 'pāñcāla-rājasya': 'of the king of the Pāñcālas (Drupada)', 'hitam': 'benefit

• welfare', 'yat syāt': 'whatever may be

• what would be', 'praśādhi': 'command

• direct', 'sarve': 'all (of us)', 'sama-vaśe sthitāḥ': 'standing equally under (your) control

• wholly obedient', 'te': 'they/we (emphatic pronoun in context)'}

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Arjuna
• Pāñcālarāja (Drupada)
• Pāñcāla

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Right action should be chosen through thoughtful deliberation, balancing dharma (righteousness), yaśas (honorable reputation), and the concrete welfare of those involved—in this case, the Pāñcāla king—while maintaining disciplined readiness to follow rightful leadership.

What is happening in the narrative?

Arjuna addresses a leader/decision-maker, urging them to consider the situation and issue commands for a course of action that is righteous, reputation-worthy, and beneficial to Drupada, affirming that all present are prepared to obey and carry out the decision.