Shloka 15
Role-Allocation in Virāṭa’s Court: Nakula, Sahadeva, and Draupadī’s Concealment
केन सम द्रौपदी कृष्णा कर्मणा विचरिष्यति । न हि किज्चिद् विजानाति कर्म कर्तु यथा स्त्रिय:,युधिष्ठिर बोले--यह ट्रुपदकुमारी कृष्णा हमलोगोंकी प्यारी भार्या है। इसका गौरव हमारे लिये प्राणोंसे भी बढ़कर है। यह माता (पृथ्वी)-की भाँति पालन करनेयोग्य तथा बड़ी बहन (धेनु)-के समान आदरणीय है। यह तो दूसरी स्त्रियोंकी भाँति कोई काम-काज भी नहीं जानती; फिर वहाँ किस कर्मका आश्रय लेकर निवास करेगी?
kena sā draupadī kṛṣṇā karmaṇā vicarīṣyati | na hi kiñcid vijānāti karma kartuṃ yathā striyaḥ ||
Yudhiṣṭhira said: “By what kind of work will Draupadī—Kṛṣṇā—manage to live there? For she does not know any task at all in the way ordinary women do. What occupation could she take up as a support for dwelling in that place?”
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights Yudhiṣṭhira’s dharmic concern for safeguarding Draupadī’s dignity and well-being during a precarious period. It reflects the ethical burden of leadership: ensuring protection and suitable means of living for dependents, especially when circumstances force concealment and vulnerability.
As the Pāṇḍavas prepare to live incognito in the kingdom of Virāṭa, Yudhiṣṭhira worries about how Draupadī will sustain herself there. He notes that she is not accustomed to ordinary domestic labor and asks what role or work could support her residence while remaining hidden.