Shloka 20
Adhyaya 11 — Draupadī’s Grief, Demand for Justice, and Bhīma’s Departure
“कल्याणि! द्रोणकुमार तो यहाँसे भागकर दुर्गम वनमें चला गया है। शोभने! यदि उसे युद्धमें मार गिराया जाय तो भी तुम्हें इसका विश्वास कैसे होगा?” ।। द्रौपहुुवाच द्रोणपुत्रस्य सहजो मणि: शिरसि मे श्रुतः । निहत्य संख्ये तं पापं पश्येयं मणिमाहृतम्
kalyāṇi! droṇakumāraḥ sa ihāto bhāgya durgamaṁ vanam upagataḥ. śobhane! yadi sa yuddhe nihanyeta, tathāpi tasminn asya viśvāsaḥ kathaṁ te bhavet? || draupady uvāca: droṇaputrasya sahajaḥ maṇiḥ śirasi me śrutaḥ. nihatya saṅkhye taṁ pāpaṁ paśyeyaṁ maṇim āhṛtam.
Vaiśampāyana dit : «Ô dame de bon augure, le fils de Droṇa s’est enfui d’ici et s’est enfoncé dans une forêt impraticable. Ô belle, même s’il était abattu au combat, comment pourrais-tu en être certaine ?» Draupadī répondit : «J’ai entendu dire que le fils de Droṇa porte de naissance un joyau sur la tête. Si ce pécheur est tué dans la mêlée, je veux voir ce joyau rapporté ici.»
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
In the chaos of war and its aftermath, moral claims and decisions often hinge on verifiable proof. The passage highlights the ethical tension between the desire for retribution and the need for certainty—Draupadī seeks an unmistakable sign (the inborn jewel) rather than relying on mere report.
Vaiśampāyana reports that Droṇa’s son has escaped into a difficult forest, making his fate uncertain. Draupadī responds that she has heard he bears a birth-jewel on his head, and she would accept his death as certain only if that jewel is brought back from the battlefield.