Shloka 4

Draupadī-apaharaṇa-saṃdeśaḥ

Report of Draupadī’s Abduction and the Pāṇḍavas’ Pursuit

Devanagari script

नियच्छैनां मतिं राजन्‌ धर्मार्थसुखनाशिनीम्‌ | यशःप्रतापवीर्यघ्नीं शत्रूणां हर्षवर्धनीम्‌,राजन्‌! आपका यह आत्महत्यासम्बन्धी विचार धर्म, अर्थ तथा सुख, यश, प्रताप और पराक्रमका नाश करनेवाला तथा शत्रुओंका हर्ष बढ़ानेवाला है, अतः इसे रोकिये

Transliteration

niyacchaināṁ matiṁ rājan dharmārthasukhanāśinīm | yaśaḥpratāpavīryaghnīṁ śatrūṇāṁ harṣavardhanīm ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “O King, restrain this intention of yours. It destroys dharma, material welfare, and happiness; it slays fame, majesty, and valor; and it only increases the joy of your enemies.”

Word by Word

नियच्छrestrain, check

एनाम्this (her/it) [i.e., this thought]

मतिम्thought, intention

राजन्O king

धर्मार्थसुखनाशिनीम्destroying dharma, artha, and happiness

यशःप्रतापवीर्यघ्नीम्destroying fame, splendor, and valor

शत्रूणाम्of enemies

हर्षवर्धनीम्increasing (their) joy

राजन्O king

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

rājan (the king addressed)

śatravaḥ (enemies)

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?

A king must restrain self-destructive impulses: such thoughts undermine dharma (moral order), artha (welfare and stability), and sukha (well-being), while also eroding honor and courage and giving satisfaction to adversaries.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana addresses a king who is entertaining a self-harming or ruinous resolve. He urges the king to check that intention because it would damage his righteous standing and royal strength and would embolden and please his enemies.