Shloka 20

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

Devanagari script

तस्या यमौ रक्ततलौ पादौ पूजितलक्षणौ । कराभ्यां किणजाताभ्यां शनकै: संववाहतु:,होशमें आनेपर दीनावस्थामें पड़ी हुई तपस्विनी द्रौपदीको पकड़कर पाण्डवोंने मृगचर्मके बिस्तरपर सुलाया और उसे विश्राम कराया। नकुल और सहदेवने धनुषकी रगड़के चिह्लसे सुशोभित दोनों हाथोंद्वारा उसके लाल तलवोंसे युक्त और उत्तम लक्षणोंसे अलंकृत दोनों चरणोंको धीरे-धीरे दबाया

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | tasyā yamau raktatalau pādau pūjitalakṣaṇau | karābhyāṁ kiṇajātābhyāṁ śanakaiḥ saṁvavāhatuḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: The twin brothers gently massaged her two feet—whose soles were red and whose auspicious marks were worthy of reverence—with their two hands hardened by calluses. In the surrounding narrative, this is an act of attentive service to Draupadī in her weakened state, expressing familial duty and compassion amid hardship.

Word by Word

तस्याःof her

यमौthe two twins

रक्ततलौhaving red soles

पादौtwo feet

पूजितलक्षणौmarked with revered/auspicious signs

कराभ्याम्with (their) two hands

किणजाताभ्याम्hardened into calluses (callused)

शनकैःslowly, gently

संववाहतुःthey two massaged/pressed

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Nakula

Sahadeva

Draupadī

feet (pādau)

hands (karau)

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?

Even in exile and distress, dharma is upheld through compassionate service: the strong care for the weakened, and reverence is shown through gentle, attentive action rather than mere words.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nakula and Sahadeva, described as the twin brothers, gently press and massage Draupadī’s feet with their calloused hands, indicating her frailty and their devoted care for her wellbeing.