Shloka 20
द्रौपदी-भीमसेनसंवादः
Draupadī–Bhīmasena Dialogue on Suffering, Kāla, and Daiva
त॑ वेणीकृतकेशान्तं भीमधन्वानमर्जुनम् कन्यापरिवृतं दृष्टवा भीम सीदति मे मन:
taṁ veṇīkṛtakeśāntaṁ bhīmadhanvānām arjunam kanyāparivṛtaṁ dṛṣṭvā bhīma sīdati me manaḥ
Vaiśampāyana said: Seeing Arjuna—mighty as Bhīma in strength and bearing arms—his hair gathered and dressed in a feminine style, and surrounded by young maidens, Bhīma’s heart sank. The sight of a great warrior compelled to live in disguise stirs grief and moral unease, revealing the cost of exile and the strain placed upon dignity even when dharma requires restraint.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even when one’s true power and status are intact, dharma may demand concealment and patience. The verse highlights the ethical tension between personal honor and disciplined restraint undertaken for a righteous objective, and it acknowledges the emotional cost borne by loved ones who witness that sacrifice.
During the Pandavas’ incognito year in Virāṭa’s kingdom, Arjuna lives in disguise (as a dance/music teacher among women). Bhīma sees him with hair dressed in a braid and surrounded by maidens, and Bhīma becomes inwardly distressed at the humiliating appearance forced by their circumstances.