Shloka 18

द्रुपदवाक्यं

Drupada’s Counsel on Conciliation and Alliance Mobilization

Devanagari script

कारूषकाश्न राजान: क्षेमधूर्तिश्न वीर्यवान्‌ काम्बोजा ऋषिका ये च पश्चिमानूपकाश्न ये

Transliteration

kārūṣakāś ca rājānaḥ kṣemadhūrtiś ca vīryavān | kāmbojā ṛṣikā ye ca paścimānūpakāś ca ye ||

Translation

Drupada said: “The kings of Kāruṣa, and the mighty Kṣemadhūrti, as well as the Kāmbojas and the Ṛṣikas, and those who dwell in the western marshy tracts—these too are to be counted among those assembled.”

Word by Word

• कारूषकाः: the Karūṣakas (people of Karūṣa)
• कारूषकाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारूषक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

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

• राजानः: kings
• राजानः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• क्षेमधूर्तिः: Kṣemadhūrti (proper name)
• क्षेमधूर्तिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेमधूर्ति
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• वीर्यवान्: mighty, possessed of valor
• वीर्यवान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वीर्यवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• काम्बोजाः: the Kāmbojas
• काम्बोजाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम्बोज
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• ऋषिकाः: the Ṛṣikas (a people/tribe)
• ऋषिकाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषिक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• ये: who, those who
• ये: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

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

• पश्चिमानूपकाः: the Western Ānūpakas (people of the western Anūpa region)
• पश्चिमानूपकाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पश्चिमानूपक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

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

• ये: who, those who
• ये: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

दुपद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• दुपद (Drupada)
• कारूषकाः (Kāruṣakas/Kāruṣa kings)
• क्षेमधूर्ति (Kṣemadhūrti)
• काम्बोजाः (Kāmbojas)
• ऋषिकाः (Ṛṣikas)
• पश्चिमानूपकाः (western Anūpaka people/inhabitants of marshlands)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the political and ethical weight of coalition-building before war: rulers and peoples are named to show the breadth of support and the seriousness of the impending conflict, reminding that large-scale violence arises from collective choices and commitments.

What is happening in the narrative?

Drupada is enumerating various kings and regional groups—Kāruṣa rulers, the valiant king Kṣemadhūrti, the Kāmbojas, the Ṛṣikas, and western marshland dwellers—indicating their presence or alignment in the broader preparations and alignments of the Udyoga Parva.