Shloka 4

Draupadī’s Grief at Seeing the Heroes in Disguise (द्रौपदी-विषादः / वेष-परिभव-वर्णनम्)

Devanagari script

वनवासगतायाश्च सैन्धवेन दुरात्मना | परामर्शो द्वितीयो वै सोढुमुत्सहते तु का,वनवासमें जानेपर दुरात्मा सिन्धुराज जयद्रथने जो मेरा स्पर्श कर लिया, यह दूसरा अपमान था। उसे भी कौन सह सकती है?

Transliteration

vanavāsagatāyāś ca saindhavena durātmanā | parāmarśo dvitīyo vai soḍhum utsahate tu kā ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana sprach: „Und als jener ruchlose Saindhava (Jayadratha) nach ihrem Gang ins Exil Hand an sie legte, war dies wahrlich eine zweite Demütigung. Wer hätte die Kraft, auch nur das zu ertragen?“

Word by Word

वनवासगतायाःof (her) who had gone to forest-dwelling / living in exile

चand

सैन्धवेनby the Sindhu-king (Jayadratha)

दुरात्मनाby the wicked-souled (man)

परामर्शःtouching / molestation / affront

द्वितीयःsecond

वैindeed

सःthat / he (i.e., that act)

ओढुम्to bear / to endure

उत्सहतेis able / dares

तुbut

काwho (woman)?

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Jayadratha (Saindhava, Sindhu king)

the exiled lady (Draupadī, implied)

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames unlawful physical contact and harassment as a grave ethical transgression (adharma) and highlights the moral weight of dishonor inflicted upon a vulnerable person—especially one already suffering exile—underscoring why such acts demand accountability.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana recalls that during the Pāṇḍavas’ forest exile, Jayadratha (the Saindhava king) affronted Draupadī by laying hands on her. This is described as a ‘second humiliation,’ emphasizing the intensity of the insult and the difficulty of enduring it.