Shloka 12

Draupadī’s Rebuke of Jayadratha and Dhaumya’s Admonition (Āraṇyaka-parva, Adhyāya 252)

Devanagari script

उत्थाप्य सम्परिष्वज्य प्रीत्याजिप्रत मूर्थनि । वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--राजन! शकुनिका यह वचन सुनकर दुर्योधनने अपने चरणोंमें पड़े हुए म्लान मुखवाले भ्रातृभक्त शत्रुदमन वीर दुःशासनकी ओर देखकर अपनी सुन्दर बाँहोंद्वारा उसे उठाया और प्रेमपूर्वक हृदयसे लगाकर उसका मस्तक सूँघा ।। १०-११ ई | कर्णसौबलयोश्वापि संश्रुत्य वचनान्यसौ,कर्ण और शकुनिकी भी बातें सुनकर राजा दुर्योधन अत्यन्त उदास हो गया, तथा मन- ही-मन लज्जासे अभिभूत हो उसने बड़ी निराशाका अनुभव किया

Transliteration

utthāpya sampariṣvajya prītyā ca pratamūrdhani | vaiśampāyana uvāca—rājan! śakuneḥ vacanaṃ śrutvā duryodhanaḥ caraṇeṣu patitaṃ mlānamukhavantaṃ bhrātṛbhaktaṃ śatrudamanaṃ vīraṃ duḥśāsanaṃ vilokya svābhyāṃ sundarābhyāṃ bāhubhyām utthāpya hṛdayena sampariṣvajya tasya mūrdhānaṃ ghrātvā | karṇa-sauabalayoḥ api vacanāni saṃśrutya sa rājā duryodhanaḥ atyantaṃ udāsaḥ abhavat, manasā lajjayā abhibhūtaḥ san mahān nirāśāṃ anubabhūva |

Translation

Dijo Vaiśampāyana: «¡Oh rey! Al oír las palabras de Śakuni, Duryodhana miró al heroico Duḥśāsana—devoto de su hermano, sometedor de enemigos—que yacía a sus pies con el rostro abatido. Con sus hermosos brazos lo alzó, lo estrechó con afecto desde el corazón y olió su cabeza en un gesto íntimo de amor fraternal. Sin embargo, tras escuchar también las palabras de Karṇa y de Śakuni, el rey Duryodhana quedó hondamente abatido; por dentro, oprimido por la vergüenza, sintió una desesperanza profunda.»

Word by Word

उत्थाप्यhaving lifted up

सम्परिष्वज्यhaving embraced

प्रीत्याwith affection

आजीindeed/just (emphatic particle)

प्रतिमूर्धनिon/at the head (upon the head)

कर्णof Karna

सौबलयोःof the two Saubalas (Shakuni and his brother)

चand

अपिalso

संश्रुत्यhaving heard

वचनानिwords/speeches

असौhe (that person)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Duryodhana

Śakuni

Duḥśāsana

Karṇa

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The passage contrasts outward displays of affection and loyalty with inner moral turmoil: even amid strong fraternal bonds, wrong counsel and awareness of one’s own fault can produce shame and despair. It highlights how unethical strategy and manipulative advice corrode a leader’s inner steadiness.

What is happening in the narrative?

After hearing Śakuni, Duryodhana sees Duḥśāsana prostrated at his feet, lifts him up, embraces him, and affectionately smells his head. But when he also hears the words of Karṇa and Śakuni, Duryodhana becomes deeply dejected, inwardly ashamed, and feels hopeless.