Shloka 6
सुभद्राहरणम्
Subhadrā-haraṇa: Arjuna’s Taking of Subhadrā and the Dvārakā Assembly’s Response
ह्वियमाणे धने तस्मिन् ब्राह्मण: क्रोधमूर्च्छित: । आगम्य खाण्डवप्रस्थमुदक्रोशत् स पाण्डवान्,अपने गोधनका अपहरण होता देख ब्राह्मण अत्यन्त क़ुद्ध हो उठा और खाण्डवप्रस्थमें आकर उसने उच्चस्वरसे पाण्डवोंको पुकारा--
hriyamāṇe dhane tasmin brāhmaṇaḥ krodhamūrcchitaḥ | āgamya khāṇḍavaprastham udakrośat sa pāṇḍavān ||
Vaiśampāyana said: As that wealth was being carried off, the brāhmaṇa, overcome by anger, came to Khāṇḍavaprastha and cried out loudly to the Pāṇḍavas.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the dharmic expectation that rulers and protectors (here, the Pāṇḍavas) respond when an innocent person’s property—especially cattle-wealth—is wrongfully seized. It frames the brāhmaṇa’s public cry as a legitimate appeal to authority for protection and restitution, underscoring accountability and the duty to uphold justice.
A brāhmaṇa sees his wealth being carried off and, enraged, goes to Khāṇḍavaprastha. There he shouts to summon the Pāṇḍavas, effectively lodging a complaint and seeking their intervention against the ongoing theft.