Shloka 15

Draupadī’s Identification of the Pāṇḍavas and the Onset of the Chariot Engagement (द्रौपदी-पाण्डव-परिचयः)

Devanagari script

किमस्माकं भवेच्छेय: कि कार्यमवशिष्यते । कथं च सुकृतं तत्‌ स्यान्मन्त्रयामोड्द्य यद्धितम्‌,“मित्रो! क्या करनेसे हमलोगोंकी भलाई होगी? हमारे लिये कौन-सा कार्य शेष रह गया है? कैसे करनेसे हमारा कार्य शुभ परिणामजनक होगा? क्या करनेमें हमारा हित है? आज इसी विषयपर हमलोगोंको विचार करना है'

Transliteration

kim asmākaṁ bhavec chreyaḥ? kiṁ kāryam avaśiṣyate? kathaṁ ca sukṛtaṁ tat syān? mantrayāmaḥ adya yad dhitam.

Translation

Vaiśaṃpāyana sprach: «Welcher Weg wird uns wahres Wohlergehen bringen? Welche Pflicht bleibt uns noch zu erfüllen? Auf welche Weise soll dieses Vorhaben gut ausgeführt werden und glückverheißende Früchte tragen? Was ist uns tatsächlich zuträglich? Lasst uns heute darüber beraten, was wirklich in unserem besten Interesse liegt.»

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'kim', 'definition': 'what?'}, {'term': 'asmākam', 'definition': 'of us

• for us'}, {'term': 'bhavet', 'definition': 'may be

• would become'}, {'term': 'śreyaḥ', 'definition': 'the better good

• what is truly beneficial (as opposed to merely pleasant)'}, {'term': 'kāryam', 'definition': 'a task to be done

• necessary action'}, {'term': 'avaśiṣyate', 'definition': 'remains

• is left over'}, {'term': 'katham', 'definition': 'how? in what way?'}, {'term': 'sukṛtam', 'definition': 'well done

• well-executed'}, {'term': 'tat', 'definition': 'that (task/undertaking)'}, {'term': 'syāt', 'definition': 'may be

• would be'}, {'term': 'mantrayāmaḥ', 'definition': 'let us consult

• let us deliberate (together)'}, {'term': 'adya', 'definition': 'today

• now'}, {'term': 'yad', 'definition': 'that which

• whatever'}, {'term': 'hitam', 'definition': 'beneficial

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames ethical decision-making as a collective inquiry: identify śreyas (the higher good), clarify what duty remains, and choose the manner of action that makes the outcome auspicious. It emphasizes thoughtful counsel (mantra) over impulsive action.

What is happening in the narrative?

The narrator introduces a moment of consultation: the speakers (implied as a group) pause to assess their situation—what remains to be done and what course will truly benefit them—before proceeding with action.