Shloka 9
पाण्डवानां वनप्रस्थानवर्णनम् / The Pāṇḍavas’ Departure for the Forest
Vidura’s Report and Portents
भीमार्जुनौ यमौ चैव स्थितौ ते नृप शासने । प्रश्न॑ ब्रूहि च कृष्णां त्वमजितां यदि मन्यसे,“नरेश! भीमसेन, अर्जुन, नकुल और सहदेव आपकी आज्ञाके अधीन हैं। आप ही द्रौपदीके प्रश्नपर कुछ बोलिये। क्या आप कृष्णाको हारी हुई नहीं मानते हैं?”
bhīmārjunau yamau caiva sthitau te nṛpa śāsane | praśnaṁ brūhi ca kṛṣṇāṁ tvam ajitāṁ yadi manyase ||
«O König, Bhīma und Arjuna und auch die Zwillingsbrüder (Nakula und Sahadeva) stehen unter deinem Befehl. So sprich als Antwort auf Kṛṣṇās (Draupadīs) Frage. Wenn du meinst, Kṛṣṇā sei nicht gewonnen worden, so erkläre es.»
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Authority must be exercised to uphold dharma: when a moral-legal doubt arises (whether Draupadī can be treated as a won stake), the king is urged to speak clearly and justly rather than hide behind silence or procedure.
In the Kuru court after the dice-game, Draupadī’s pointed question about the legality of her being staked demands an answer. Vaiśampāyana reports that the king is reminded that the Pāṇḍavas are under his authority, so he should respond and, if he judges Draupadī not to be lawfully won, state so openly.