Shloka 16

Devanagari script

यदिदं द्रौपदीवाक्यमुक्तवत्यसकृच्छुभा । विमृश्य कस्य कः पक्ष: पार्थिवा वदतोत्तरम्‌,राजाओ! कल्याणी द्रौपदीने बार-बार जिस प्रश्नको दुहराया है, उसपर विचार करके आपलोग उत्तर दें, जिससे मालूम हो जाय कि इस विषयमें किसका क्‍या पक्ष (विचार) है!

Transliteration

yad idaṃ draupadīvākyam uktavaty asakṛc chubhā | vimṛśya kasya kaḥ pakṣaḥ pārthivā vadatottaram, rājāo! |

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “Reflect carefully on the words spoken by the auspicious Draupadī—words she has repeated again and again. Then, O kings, give your reply, so that it may become clear in this matter what position each of you holds.”

Word by Word

यत्that which

इदम्this

द्रौपदी-वाक्यम्Draupadi's statement

उक्तवतीhaving said / said

असकृत्repeatedly

शुभाauspicious (lady)

विमृश्यhaving considered

कस्यof whom

कःwhat / which

पक्षःside; standpoint

पार्थिवाःO kings

वदतspeaking; (you) speak

उत्तरम्answer

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Draupadī

kings (pārthivāḥ/rājāḥ)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse emphasizes responsible judgment: before taking sides, the assembled rulers must deliberate on Draupadī’s repeated ethical-legal question and then state their positions openly, making accountability and clarity in dharma-discourse central.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the royal assembly after Draupadī has repeatedly posed her challenge, Vaiśampāyana narrates that the kings are urged to reflect on her words and respond, so it becomes evident who supports which interpretation in the dispute.