Shloka 23
द्रौपदी-वरण-प्रत्ययः — Intelligence Reports and the Kaurava Court’s Response
पाज्चालराजेन सुता निसृष्टा स्वधर्मदृष्टेन यथा न कामात् । प्रदिष्टशुल्का द्रुपदेन राज्ञा सा तेन वीरेण तथानुवृत्ता,“ब्रह्मन! पाञ्चालराज ट्रुपदने यह कन्या अपनी इच्छासे नहीं दी है, उन्होंने अपने धर्मके अनुसार लक्ष्यवेधकी शर्त करके अपनी कन्या देनेका निश्चय किया था। उस वीर पुरुषने उसी शर्तको पूर्ण करके यह कन्या प्राप्त की है
dhṛṣṭadyumna uvāca | pāñcālarājena sutā nisṛṣṭā svadharmadṛṣṭena yathā na kāmāt | pradiṣṭaśulkā drupadena rājñā sā tena vīreṇa tathānuvṛttā |
Dhṛṣṭadyumna said: “O brahmin! This daughter was not bestowed by the king of the Pāñcālas out of personal desire. Rather, with his gaze fixed on dharma, King Drupada resolved to give his daughter only under the condition of the prescribed feat—the target-hitting trial. Having fulfilled that very condition, that heroic man has rightfully obtained her, and she has accordingly accepted him.”
धृष्टह्ुम्न उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse emphasizes that marriage and royal decisions should be grounded in dharma (right order and duty), not in personal desire. A publicly declared condition, once fulfilled, establishes legitimacy and ethical propriety.
Dhṛṣṭadyumna defends the validity of the princess’s marriage: Drupada had announced a target-hitting condition for winning his daughter, and the hero who completed it has rightfully obtained her; she has accepted him in accordance with that rule.