Shloka 12

Drupada’s Instruction to the Purohita for the Kaurava Embassy (द्रुपदोपदेशः दूतप्रेषणम्)

Devanagari script

विद्यमानेषु च स्वेषु लम्बमाने तथा त्वयि

Transliteration

vidyamāneṣu ca sveṣu lambamāne tathā tvayi

Translation

“Even while my own people are present, you too are left hanging in uncertainty.”

Word by Word

• विद्यमानेषु: being present / existing
• विद्यमानेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विद्यमान (√विद् + शतृ)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Plural

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

• स्वेषु: among one’s own (people/kinsmen)
• स्वेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun/Adjective
• Root: स्व (sarvanāma-prātipadika)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Plural

• लम्बमाने: while hanging/depending (on)
• लम्बमाने: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लम्बमान (√लम्ब् + शानच्)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Singular

• तथा: thus / likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• त्वयि: in you / on you
• त्वयि: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: त्वद्
• Form: Masculine/Feminine/Neuter, Locative, Singular

Speaker

दुपद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Drupada

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler or responsible elder should not keep a dependent party’s matter ‘suspended’ when capable advisors and one’s own people are present; dharma favors timely, accountable decisions over evasive delay.

What is happening in the narrative?

Drupada speaks in a context of counsel and political-moral deliberation, criticizing a situation where, despite the presence of one’s own circle, the addressed person remains ‘left hanging’—i.e., their claim, request, or fate is not being properly settled.