Shloka 5

Kubera’s Arrival and the Disclosure of Agastya’s Curse

Vaiśaṃpāyana–Janamejaya Narrative

Devanagari script

अन्तरं सम्परिप्रेप्सुद्रौपद्या हरणं प्रति । दुष्टात्मा पापबुद्धि: स नाम्ना ख्यातो जटासुर:

Transliteration

antaraṃ sampariprepsu-draupadyā haraṇaṃ prati | duṣṭātmā pāpabuddhiḥ sa nāmnā khyāto jaṭāsuraḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana sprach: Auf der Suche nach einer Gelegenheit, Draupadī zu rauben, gab es einen von böser Seele und sündigem Sinn, bekannt unter dem Namen Jaṭāsura.

Word by Word

अन्तरम्an opportunity, interval

सम्परिप्रेप्सुdesiring to obtain/seek

द्रौपद्याःof Draupadī

हरणम्abduction, carrying off

प्रतिtowards, with regard to

दुष्टात्माevil-souled (one)

पापबुद्धिःsinful-minded (one)

सःhe

नाम्नाby name

ख्यातःwas known, renowned

जटासुरःJatāsura (name of a rākṣasa)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Draupadī

Jaṭāsura

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames abduction as a manifestation of adharma: a corrupt mind seeks “openings” to violate another’s dignity. Ethically, it warns that inner intention (pāpabuddhi) precedes harmful action and must be restrained.

What is happening in the narrative?

The narrator introduces Jaṭāsura, a notorious rākṣasa, who is watching for a chance to abduct Draupadī—setting up the ensuing conflict in the forest-exile setting.