Shloka 28

Devanagari script

ततः स राजा द्रुपदस्य श्रुत्वा विमर्षयुक्तो युवतीर्वरिष्ठा: । सम्प्रेषयामास सुचारुरूपा: शिखण्डिनं स्त्री पुमान्‌ वेति वेत्तुम्‌,राजा द्रुपदका यह उत्तर सुनकर हिरण्यवर्माने कुछ विचार किया और अत्यन्त मनोहर रूपवाली कुछ श्रेष्ठ युवतियोंको यह जाननेके लिये भेजा कि शिखण्डी स्त्री है या पुरुष

Transliteration

tataḥ sa rājā drupadasya śrutvā vimarṣa-yukto yuvatīr variṣṭhāḥ | sampreṣayāmāsa sucāru-rūpāḥ śikhaṇḍinaṃ strī pumān veti vettum ||

Translation

Then that king, having heard Drupada’s words and reflecting carefully, dispatched some of the finest young women—beautiful in form—to ascertain the truth: whether Śikhaṇḍin was in fact a woman or a man.

Word by Word

ततःthen, thereafter

सःhe

राजाking

द्रुपदस्यof Drupada

श्रुत्वाhaving heard

विमर्शयुक्तःendowed with deliberation; after reflection

युवतीःyoung women

वरिष्ठाःbest, most excellent

सम्प्रेषयामासsent forth, dispatched

सुचारुरूपाःof very beautiful form

शिखण्डिनम्Shikhandin

स्त्रीwoman

पुमान्man

वाor

इतिthus (quotative)

वेतुम्to know, to ascertain

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

Drupada

Śikhaṇḍin

Hiraṇyavarman

yuvatī (young women/messengers)

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 highlights prudent governance: before taking consequential action, a ruler should deliberate (vimarṣa) and verify facts through appropriate means. It also reflects the ethical and social weight placed on identity and legitimacy in royal alliances.

What is happening in the narrative?

After hearing Drupada’s statement, the king (Hiraṇyavarman) thinks carefully and sends selected young women to determine whether Śikhaṇḍin is biologically a woman or a man, since this affects royal decisions and alliances.