Shloka 20
Adhyaya 11 — Draupadī’s Grief, Demand for Justice, and Bhīma’s Departure
“कल्याणि! द्रोणकुमार तो यहाँसे भागकर दुर्गम वनमें चला गया है। शोभने! यदि उसे युद्धमें मार गिराया जाय तो भी तुम्हें इसका विश्वास कैसे होगा?” ।।
kalyāṇi! droṇakumāraḥ sa ihāto bhāgya durgamaṁ vanam upagataḥ. śobhane! yadi sa yuddhe nihanyeta, tathāpi tasminn asya viśvāsaḥ kathaṁ te bhavet? || draupady uvāca: droṇaputrasya sahajaḥ maṇiḥ śirasi me śrutaḥ. nihatya saṅkhye taṁ pāpaṁ paśyeyaṁ maṇim āhṛtam.
Vaiśampāyana sprach: „O glückverheißende Frau, Droṇas Sohn ist von hier geflohen und in einen unzugänglichen Wald gegangen. O Schöne, selbst wenn man ihn in der Schlacht niederstreckte, wie könntest du dessen gewiss sein?“ Draupadī erwiderte: „Ich habe gehört, dass Droṇas Sohn von Geburt an ein Juwel auf seinem Haupt trägt. Wenn jener Sünder im Kampf erschlagen wird, will ich sehen, dass man das Juwel hierher bringt.“
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
In the chaos of war and its aftermath, moral claims and decisions often hinge on verifiable proof. The passage highlights the ethical tension between the desire for retribution and the need for certainty—Draupadī seeks an unmistakable sign (the inborn jewel) rather than relying on mere report.
Vaiśampāyana reports that Droṇa’s son has escaped into a difficult forest, making his fate uncertain. Draupadī responds that she has heard he bears a birth-jewel on his head, and she would accept his death as certain only if that jewel is brought back from the battlefield.