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Shloka 24

द्रौपदी-वरण-प्रत्ययः — Intelligence Reports and the Kaurava Court’s Response

न तत्र वर्णेषु कृता विवक्षा न चापि शीले न कुले न गोत्रे ।। कृतेन सज्येन हि कार्मुकेण विद्धेन लक्ष्येण हि सा विसृष्टा,*राजाने वहाँ वर्ण, शील, कुल और गोत्रके विषयमें कोई अभिप्राय नहीं व्यक्त किया था। धनुषपर प्रत्यंचा चढ़ाकर लक्ष्यवेध कर देनेपर ही कन्‍्यादानकी घोषणा की थी। इस महात्मा वीरने उसी घोषणाके अनुसार राजाओंकी मण्डलीमें राजकुमारी कृष्णापर विजय पायी है। ऐसी दशामें सोमकवंशी राजा द्रुपदको अब सुखका अभाव करनेवाला संताप नहीं करना चाहिये

na tatra varṇeṣu kṛtā vivakṣā na cāpi śīle na kule na gotre | kṛtena sajyena hi kārmukeṇa viddhena lakṣyeṇa hi sā visṛṣṭā ||

Dṛṣṭadyumna sprach: „In jener Verkündigung wurde keinerlei Vorzug hinsichtlich Stand (varṇa), Lebenswandel, Geschlecht oder Clan (gotra) ausgesprochen. Die Bedingung war einzig diese: Wer den Bogen bespannte und das Ziel traf, dem sollte die Jungfrau gegeben werden. Darum hat dieser großherzige Held, ganz gemäß jener Ansage, inmitten der versammelten Könige Prinzessin Kṛṣṇā errungen. In solcher Lage soll König Drupada aus dem Somaka-Stamm nicht dem Kummer verfallen, der nur sein eigenes Glück zerstört.“

not
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
तत्रthere; in that matter
तत्र:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतत्र
वर्णेषुin the castes/classes
वर्णेषु:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootवर्ण
FormMasculine, Locative, Plural
कृताmade; done
कृता:
TypeVerb
Rootकृ (कृञ्)
Formक्त (past passive participle), Feminine, Nominative, Singular
विवक्षाintention to speak; declaration; stipulation
विवक्षा:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootविवक्षा
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
not
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
अपिalso; even
अपि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि
शीलेin conduct/character
शीले:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootशील
FormNeuter, Locative, Singular
not
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
कुलेin family/lineage
कुले:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootकुल
FormNeuter, Locative, Singular
not
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
गोत्रेin clan/gotra
गोत्रे:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootगोत्र
FormNeuter, Locative, Singular
कृतेनby (something) done/made
कृतेन:
Karana
TypeVerb
Rootकृ (कृञ्)
Formक्त (past passive participle), Neuter, Instrumental, Singular
सज्येनwith the bow-string fitted; strung
सज्येन:
Karana
TypeAdjective
Rootसज्य
FormNeuter, Instrumental, Singular
हिindeed; for
हि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि
कार्मुकेणwith the bow
कार्मुकेण:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootकार्मुक
FormNeuter, Instrumental, Singular
विद्धेनby having been pierced/struck
विद्धेन:
Karana
TypeVerb
Rootव्यध्
Formक्त (past passive participle), Neuter, Instrumental, Singular
लक्ष्येणby/with the target (being hit)
लक्ष्येण:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootलक्ष्य
FormNeuter, Instrumental, Singular
हिindeed; for
हि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि
साshe/that (maiden/offer)
सा:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
विसृष्टाwas released/announced/granted
विसृष्टा:
TypeVerb
Rootसृज्
Formक्त (past passive participle), Feminine, Nominative, Singular

धृष्टह्ुम्न उवाच

D
Dhṛṣṭadyumna
K
Kṛṣṇā (Draupadī)
D
Drupada
S
Somaka lineage
A
assembly of kings
B
bow (kārmuka)
B
bowstring (sajya)
T
target (lakṣya)

Educational Q&A

A public vow or proclamation should be honored as stated: when the criterion is skill and fulfillment of the announced condition, later objections based on varṇa, lineage, or clan are ethically improper. The verse also counsels restraint from grief that undermines one’s well-being when dharma has been followed.

After the svayaṃvara contest, Dhṛṣṭadyumna defends the legitimacy of Kṛṣṇā’s marriage outcome: the rule was to string the bow and hit the target, not to judge contestants by birth or pedigree. Since the condition was met, the maiden is rightfully bestowed, and Drupada should not lament.