Shloka 42

Virāṭa-parva Adhyāya 13 — Kīcaka’s Proposition and Draupadī’s Dharmic Refusal

Devanagari script

बीभत्सुरपि गीतेन स्वनृत्येन च पाण्डव: । विराट तोषयामास सर्वाश्वान्त:पुरस्त्रिय:,पाण्डुनन्दन अर्जुनने भी अपने गीत और नृत्यसे राजा विराट तथा अन्तःपुरकी सम्पूर्ण स्त्रियोंको संतुष्ट कर लिया था

Transliteration

bībhatsur api gītena svanṛtyena ca pāṇḍavaḥ | virāṭaṃ toṣayāmāsa sarvāśvāntapura-striyaḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Even Bībhatsu (Arjuna), the son of Pāṇḍu, pleased King Virāṭa and all the women of the inner palace by his singing and his own dancing.

Word by Word

बीभत्सुःterrible, dreadful (one)

अपिeven, also

गीतेनby/with song

स्वनृत्येनby/with his own dance

चand

पाण्डवःthe Pandava (Arjuna)

विराटम्Virata (king)

तोषयामासpleased, satisfied

सर्वाःall

अन्तःपुरस्त्रियःwomen of the inner palace (harem)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Bībhatsu (Arjuna)

Pāṇḍava

King Virāṭa

women of the inner palace (antaḥpura-striyaḥ)

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?

Dharma can require flexibility in outward role while maintaining inner integrity. Arjuna, though a foremost warrior, embraces the arts and a modest courtly function to safeguard the Pāṇḍavas’ vow of concealment and the larger righteous aim.

What is happening in the narrative?

During the Pāṇḍavas’ incognito stay in Virāṭa’s court, Arjuna (known there in a concealed identity) entertains with song and dance, thereby pleasing King Virāṭa and the women of the palace.