Shloka 3

सभा-पर्व (अध्याय ६०) — द्रौपदी-प्रश्नः सभायाम् / Draupadī’s Question in the Assembly

Devanagari script

ते द्न्दशशः पृथक्‌ चैव सिंहग्रीवा महौजस: । सिंहासनानि भूरीणि विचित्राणि च भेजिरे

Transliteration

te dvandvaśaḥ pṛthak caiva siṁhagrīvā mahaujasaḥ | siṁhāsanāni bhūrīṇi vicitrāṇi ca bhejire ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Then those mighty heroes, lion-necked and full of vigor, in pairs and also singly, took their seats upon many splendid thrones, wondrously adorned.

Word by Word

• ते: they (those)
• ते: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• द्वन्द्वशः: in pairs, pairwise
• द्वन्द्वशः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: द्वन्द्व

• पृथक्: separately
• पृथक्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पृथक्

• च: and
• च: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• सिंहग्रीवाः: lion-necked (men)
• सिंहग्रीवाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिंहग्रीव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• महौजसः: of great vigor/might
• महौजसः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महौजस्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सिंहासनानि: thrones
• सिंहासनानि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिंहासन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• भूरीणि: many, numerous
• भूरीणि: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भूरि
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• विचित्राणि: variegated, splendid
• विचित्राणि: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विचित्र
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• च: and
• च: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• भेजिरे: they occupied/took (seats)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भज्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• siṁhāsana (thrones)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how external markers of authority—thrones, rank, and ceremonial seating—can project strength and legitimacy, yet such displays do not by themselves guarantee dharmic conduct; they set the stage for judging whether power will be used rightly.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the royal assembly setting, powerful men take their places on numerous ornate thrones, some sitting in pairs and some separately, establishing the formal court atmosphere before the subsequent events and decisions unfold.