Shloka 18

द्रुपदवाक्यं

Drupada’s Counsel on Conciliation and Alliance Mobilization

Devanagari script

कारूषकाश्न राजान: क्षेमधूर्तिश्न वीर्यवान्‌ काम्बोजा ऋषिका ये च पश्चिमानूपकाश्न ये

Transliteration

kārūṣakāś ca rājānaḥ kṣemadhūrtiś ca vīryavān | kāmbojā ṛṣikā ye ca paścimānūpakāś ca ye ||

Translation

Drupada sprach: „Die Könige von Kāruṣa und der mächtige Kṣemadhūrti; ebenso die Kāmbojas und die Ṛṣikas; und jene, die in den westlichen Sumpfgebieten wohnen — auch sie sind unter den Versammelten zu zählen.“

Word by Word

कारूषकाःthe Karūṣakas (people of Karūṣa)

चand

राजानःkings

क्षेमधूर्तिःKṣemadhūrti (proper name)

चand

वीर्यवान्mighty, possessed of valor

काम्बोजाःthe Kāmbojas

ऋषिकाःthe Ṛṣikas (a people/tribe)

येwho, those who

चand

पश्चिमानूपकाःthe Western Ānūpakas (people of the western Anūpa region)

चand

येwho, those who

Speaker

दुपद उवाच

Characters & Entities

द

दुपद (Drupada)

क

कारूषकाः (Kāruṣakas/Kāruṣa kings)

क

क्षेमधूर्ति (Kṣemadhūrti)

क

काम्बोजाः (Kāmbojas)

ऋ

ऋषिकाः (Ṛṣikas)

प

पश्चिमानूपकाः (western Anūpaka people/inhabitants of marshlands)

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 underscores the political and ethical weight of coalition-building before war: rulers and peoples are named to show the breadth of support and the seriousness of the impending conflict, reminding that large-scale violence arises from collective choices and commitments.

What is happening in the narrative?

Drupada is enumerating various kings and regional groups—Kāruṣa rulers, the valiant king Kṣemadhūrti, the Kāmbojas, the Ṛṣikas, and western marshland dwellers—indicating their presence or alignment in the broader preparations and alignments of the Udyoga Parva.