Shloka 166
Drupada’s Instruction to the Purohita for the Kaurava Embassy (द्रुपदोपदेशः दूतप्रेषणम्)
दूतकर्मणि युक्तश्न स्थविरश्न॒ विशेषत: । आपको उनसे कोई भय नहीं है; क्योंकि आप वेदवेत्ता ब्राह्मण हैं। विशेषतः दूतकर्ममें नियुक्त और वृद्ध हैं
dūtakarmaṇi yuktaś ca sthaviraś ca viśeṣataḥ | āpako tebhyo na bhayaṃ; yasmād tvaṃ vedavettā brāhmaṇaḥ | viśeṣataḥ dūtakarmani niyuktaḥ vṛddhaś ca ||
Drupada said: “You have no cause to fear them. You are a Brahmin learned in the Vedas; and all the more so because you are an elder and have been appointed to the duty of an envoy. One who bears a message in accordance with dharma should not be harmed.”
दुपद उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores dūta-dharma: an envoy, especially an elder and a Veda-knowing Brahmin, should be treated as protected and not harmed; ethical restraint must govern even hostile political encounters.
Drupada reassures a messenger that there is no danger from the opposing side, emphasizing the messenger’s protected status due to his role as envoy, his age, and his Vedic learning.