Shloka 18

Kīcaka-vadha-pratisaṃjñā: Rumor in Matsya and the Kaurava Scouts’ Report (कीचकवध-प्रतिसंज्ञा)

Devanagari script

ततस्ता नर्तनागाराद विनिष्क्रम्य सहार्जुना: । कन्या ददृशुरायान्तीं क्लिष्टां कृष्णामनागसम्‌,उसके आनेका समाचार पाकर अर्जुनसहित वे सब कन्याएँ नृत्यगृहसे बाहर निकल आयीं और वहाँ आती हुई निरपराध सतायी गयी कृष्णाको देखने लगीं

Transliteration

tatastā nartanāgārād viniṣkramya sahārjunāḥ | kanyā dadṛśur āyāntīṃ kliṣṭāṃ kṛṣṇām anāgasam ||

Translation

Then those maidens, accompanied by Arjuna, came out from the dancing-hall and saw Kṛṣṇā (Draupadī) approaching—distressed and afflicted, though innocent of any fault.

Word by Word

ततःthen, thereafter

ताःthose (women)

नर्तनागारात्from the dancing-hall

विनिष्क्रम्यhaving gone out

सहtogether with

अर्जुनेनwith Arjuna

कन्याःthe maidens

ददृशुःsaw

आयान्तीम्coming, approaching

क्लिष्टाम्afflicted, distressed

कृष्णाम्Krishnaa (Draupadi)

अनागसम्blameless, innocent

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Arjuna

kanyāḥ (maidens/young women)

Kṛṣṇā (Draupadī)

nartanāgāra (dancing-hall)

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 a dharmic principle: suffering inflicted on the innocent (anāgasa) is ethically intolerable and calls for recognition, compassion, and rightful corrective action.

What is happening in the narrative?

After hearing news of her arrival, the maidens come out of the dance-hall with Arjuna and see Kṛṣṇā (Draupadī) approaching in a distressed state, setting the stage for the response to her mistreatment.