Shloka 36

Devanagari script

द्रौपहुुवाच इमे सभायामुपनीतशास्त्रा: क्रियावन्त: सर्व एवेन्द्रकल्पा: । गुरुस्थाना गुरवश्वैव सर्वे तेषामग्रे नोत्सहे स्थातुमेवम्‌,द्रौपदीने कहा--अरे दुष्ट! ये सभामें शास्त्रोंके विद्वान, कर्मठ और इन्द्रके समान तेजस्वी मेरे पिताके समान सभी गुरुजन बैठे हुए हैं। मैं उनके सामने इस रूपमें खड़ी होना नहीं चाहती

Transliteration

draupady uvāca: ime sabhāyām upanītaśāstrāḥ kriyāvantaḥ sarva evendrakalpāḥ | gurusthānā guravaś caiva sarve teṣām agre notsahe sthātum evam ||

Translation

Draupadī sprach: „In dieser königlichen Versammlung sitzen Männer, in den Śāstras geschult, tatkräftig, alle strahlend wie Indra. Es sind Älteste, des Lehrersitzes würdig, allesamt ehrwürdig. Vor ihnen habe ich nicht das Herz, in diesem Zustand dazustehen.“

Word by Word

• {'sabhāyām': 'in the assembly, in the royal court', 'upanīta-śāstrāḥ': 'instructed in the śāstras

• formally trained in authoritative teachings', 'kriyāvantaḥ': 'active, competent in conduct and action

• effective doers', 'sarve': 'all', 'indra-kalpāḥ': 'like Indra

• possessing Indra-like splendor/power', 'guru-sthānāḥ': 'those occupying the place/status of a guru

• elders deserving reverence', 'guravaḥ': 'venerable elders/teachers', 'teṣām agre': 'in their presence

• before them', 'na utsahe': 'I do not dare

• I do not have the courage/resolve', 'sthātum': 'to stand', 'evam': 'thus

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Draupadī
• the royal assembly (sabhā)
• elders/gurus (guravaḥ)
• Indra (as a comparison)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical tension between public power and private dignity: even in a court filled with learned and duty-bound elders, a vulnerable person’s modesty and honor deserve protection. It implicitly critiques a learned assembly that allows adharma to proceed despite its knowledge of śāstra and propriety.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Kaurava court, Draupadī speaks while being presented in the assembly. Seeing many revered, learned elders present, she expresses shame and reluctance to stand before them in her present condition, underscoring the gravity of the injustice unfolding in the sabhā.