Shloka 16
Śārṅgakānāṃ Avināśaḥ (Why the Śārṅga Birds Were Spared) | शार्ङ्गकानामविनाशः
अभ्यर्च्य ब्राह्म॒णान् पार्थो द्रौपदीमभिजग्मिवान् | इसके बाद राजा युधिष्ठिर और भीमके चरण छुये। तदनन्तर नकुल और सहदेवने आकर अर्जुनको प्रणाम किया। अर्जुनने भी हर्षमें भरकर उन दोनोंको हृदयसे लगा लिया और उनसे मिलकर बड़ी प्रसन्नताका अनुभव किया। फिर वहाँ राजासे मिलकर नियमपूर्वक एकाग्रचित्त हो उन्होंने ब्राह्मणोंका पूजन किया। तत्पश्चात् वे द्रौषपदीके समीप गये ।। १५३ || त॑ द्रौपदी प्रत्युवाच प्रणयात् कुरुनन्दनम्,द्रौपदीने प्रणणकोपवश कुरुनन्दन अर्जुनसे कहा--'कुन्तीकुमार! यहाँ क्यों आये हो, वहीं जाओ, जहाँ वह सात्वतवंशकी कन्या सुभद्रा है। सच है, बोझको कितना ही कसकर बाँधा गया हो, जब उसे दूसरी बार बाँधते हैं, तब पहला बन्धन ढीला पड़ जाता है (यही हालत मेरे प्रति तुम्हारे प्रेमबन्धनकी है)
vaiśampāyana uvāca | abhyarcya brāhmaṇān pārtho draupadīm abhijagmivān |
Vaiśampāyana said: Having duly honored the brāhmaṇas, Pārtha (Arjuna) went to Draupadī. In the surrounding narrative, the brothers exchange respectful salutations and embraces, and Arjuna—composed and attentive to rule—performs worship of the brāhmaṇas before approaching Draupadī. Draupadī, however, speaks from wounded affection and jealousy, directing him toward Subhadrā and implying that love, like a binding, loosens when one tries to bind again—an ethical tension between marital fidelity, duty, and personal desire.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage foregrounds dharma in domestic life: reverence to brāhmaṇas and proper conduct are maintained even amid personal turmoil, while Draupadī’s reproach highlights the ethical strain created when desire and new attachments threaten earlier bonds of commitment.
Arjuna, after honoring the brāhmaṇas and receiving greetings from his brothers, goes to meet Draupadī. Draupadī responds with affectionate yet pained sarcasm, telling him to go to Subhadrā and suggesting that his earlier bond with her has loosened because of the new marriage.