Shloka 3

सभा-पर्व (अध्याय ६०) — द्रौपदी-प्रश्नः सभायाम् / Draupadī’s Question in the Assembly

Devanagari script

ते द्न्दशशः पृथक्‌ चैव सिंहग्रीवा महौजस: । सिंहासनानि भूरीणि विचित्राणि च भेजिरे

Transliteration

te dvandvaśaḥ pṛthak caiva siṁhagrīvā mahaujasaḥ | siṁhāsanāni bhūrīṇi vicitrāṇi ca bhejire ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana sprach: Daraufhin nahmen jene mächtigen Helden mit löwengleichem Nacken, teils paarweise, teils einzeln, auf vielen prächtigen und kunstvoll geschmückten Thronen Platz.

Word by Word

तेthey (those)

द्वन्द्वशःin pairs, pairwise

पृथक्separately

चand

एवindeed, just

सिंहग्रीवाःlion-necked (men)

महौजसःof great vigor/might

सिंहासनानिthrones

भूरीणिmany, numerous

विचित्राणिvariegated, splendid

चand

भेजिरेthey occupied/took (seats)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

siṁhāsana (thrones)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how external markers of authority—thrones, rank, and ceremonial seating—can project strength and legitimacy, yet such displays do not by themselves guarantee dharmic conduct; they set the stage for judging whether power will be used rightly.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the royal assembly setting, powerful men take their places on numerous ornate thrones, some sitting in pairs and some separately, establishing the formal court atmosphere before the subsequent events and decisions unfold.