Mahabharata 1.192.13 — Adi Parva, Adhyaya 192, Shloka 13
द्रौपदी-वरण-प्रत्ययः — Intelligence Reports and the Kaurava Court’s Response
ते नर्दमाना इव कालमेघा: कथा विचित्रा: कथयाम्बभूवु: | न वैश्यशूद्रौोपयिकी: कथास्ता न च द्विजानां कथयन्ति वीरा:
te nardamānā iva kālameghāḥ kathā vicitrāḥ kathayāmbabhūvuḥ | na vaiśyaśūdrāupayikīḥ kathās tā na ca dvijānāṃ kathayanti vīrāḥ | yathā hi lakṣyaṃ nihataṃ dhanuṣṇaḥ sajyaṃ kṛtaṃ tena tathā prasahā | yathā hi bhāṣanti parasparaṃ te channā dhruvaṃ te pracaranti pārthāḥ ||
„Dröhnend wie Donnerwolken begannen sie, wunderbare, vielfarbige Reden miteinander zu wechseln. Ihre Sprache war weder die der Vaiśyas noch die der Śūdras, und auch sprachen jene Helden nicht wie gewöhnliche Brahmanen. Aus der Art, wie der Bogen mit Kraft gespannt wurde, wie das schwierige Ziel zu Fall gebracht wurde, und wie sie untereinander reden, steht fest: Kuntīs Söhne — die Pārthas — ziehen hier verkleidet umher.“
धृष्टह्ुम्न उवाच
Educational Q&A
Inner nature reveals itself through conduct: strength, skill, and even patterns of speech can disclose one’s true identity despite outward disguise. The verse also reflects the epic’s awareness of social registers (how different groups are expected to speak) and the ethical idea that deeds are stronger evidence than appearances.
Dhṛṣṭadyumna observes a group moving about in brahmin guise. Noting their thunderous confidence, their refined manner of speech, the force with which they string the bow, and their decisive hitting of a difficult target, he concludes they must be the Pāṇḍavas (sons of Kuntī), concealed and traveling incognito.
Ask anything about this verse
Curious about the meaning, context, or a word? Ask, and continue the conversation in the Vedapath app.
A free Google sign-in keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Mahabharata in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with audio, word-by-word meanings, and more.