Shloka 22
धर्मरहस्योपदेशः
Dharma-rahasya Instruction: Vows, Truth, and Non-injury
अज्ञातवासं वसता विराटनगरे तदा | द्रौपद्या: प्रियकामेन केवलं बाहुसंश्रयात्
ajñātavāsaṃ vasatā virāṭanagare tadā | draupadyāḥ priyakāmena kevalaṃ bāhusaṃśrayāt ||
Sañjaya said: At that time, while living in concealment in the city of Virāṭa, he acted solely by relying on the strength of his own arms, driven by the wish to please Draupadī. The line underscores a warrior’s ethic of personal responsibility and protective duty—choosing direct, bodily courage over dependence on others when honor and a loved one’s welfare are at stake.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights an ethic of personal valor and responsibility: when protecting dignity and fulfilling one’s duty, one should rely on one’s own disciplined strength and resolve, motivated by righteous affection rather than vanity.
Sañjaya recalls the time of the Pandavas’ incognito stay in Virāṭa’s city, describing how the hero (implied) acted to satisfy and protect Draupadī, depending solely on his own arm-strength—suggesting direct intervention and martial readiness during concealment.