Shloka 11

Ghaṭotkaca’s Conveyance to Badarī and Entry into the Nara-Nārāyaṇa Āśrama (घटोत्कच-वाहनम्; नरनारायणाश्रम-प्रवेशः)

Devanagari script

सुकुमारौ कथं पादौ मुखं च कमलप्रभम्‌ । मत्कृतेड्द्य वरार्हाया: श्यामतां समुपागतम्‌,जो सुखके श्रेष्ठ साधनोंका उपभोग करनेयोग्य है, उसी द्रौपदीके ये दोनों सुकुमार चरण और कमलकी कान्तिसे सुशोभित मुख आज मेरे कारण कैसे काले पड़ गये हैं?

Transliteration

sukumārau kathaṃ pādau mukhaṃ ca kamalaprabham | matkṛte ’dya varārhāyāḥ śyāmatāṃ samupāgatam ||

Translation

Yudhiṣṭhira said: “How is it that her two tender feet, and her lotus-radiant face—she who is worthy of the finest comforts—have today, because of me, fallen into darkened misery? How could this happen to Draupadī on my account?”

Word by Word

सुकुमारौvery tender (two)

कथम्how

पादौfeet (two)

मुखम्face

चand

कमलप्रभम्lotus-radiant (like a lotus)

मत्कृतेbecause of me / on account of me

इद्यtoday/now (reading uncertain)

वरार्हायाःof the worthy of the best (lady)

श्यामताम्darkness / blackened state

समुपागतम्has come to / has attained

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Yudhiṣṭhira

Draupadī

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 ethical accountability: a leader’s choices can bring suffering upon dependents, and true dharma includes remorse, empathy, and owning responsibility for harm caused—especially to those who deserved protection and honor.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the forest-exile context of the Vana Parva, Yudhiṣṭhira looks upon Draupadī’s hardship and loss of radiance and laments that her delicate feet and lotus-like face have become darkened with suffering because of his actions and decisions.