Shloka 22
तत् प्रविश्य शिखण्डी सा द्रुपदस्यात्मजा नृप । अनश्षाना बहुतिथं शरीरमुदशोषयत्
tat praviśya śikhaṇḍī sā drupadasyātmajā nṛpa | anaśnānā bahutithaṁ śarīram udaśoṣayat ||
Bhīṣma said: “O king, having entered there, Śikhaṇḍī—Drupada’s child—remained without food for many days and caused her body to waste away. Thus, through severe self-denial, she pursued her resolve, showing how a fixed intention can drive one to harsh austerity, even at great personal cost.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the power—and danger—of unwavering resolve: intense determination can lead to severe austerity and self-harm. Ethically, it invites reflection on whether one’s goal justifies extreme self-denial and how dharma should guide the use of personal will.
Bhīṣma narrates that Śikhaṇḍī, identified as Drupada’s child, enters a certain place and undertakes prolonged fasting. As a result, the body becomes emaciated, indicating a period of intense ascetic effort tied to Śikhaṇḍī’s larger life-story and purpose.