Shloka 1
Draupadī’s Exhortation on Rājadharma and Daṇḍa (द्रौपद्याः राजधर्मोपदेशः)
(दाक्षिणात्य अधिक पाठके २ श्लोक मिलाकर कुल १५ श्लोक हैं) अपन ह< बक। ] अति: चतुर्दशो 5 ध्याय: द्रोपदीका युधिष्ठिरको राजदण्डधारणपूर्वक पृथ्वीका शासन करनेके लिये प्रेरित करना वैशम्पायन उवाच अव्याहरति कौन्तेये धर्मराजे युधिष्ठिरे । भ्रातृणां ब्रुवतां तांस्तान् विविधान् वेदनिश्चयान्
vaiśampāyana uvāca | avyāharati kaunteye dharmarāje yudhiṣṭhire | bhrātṝṇāṁ bruvatāṁ tāṁs tān vividhān vedaniścayān ||
Vaiśampāyana dit : Bien qu’il eût entendu de la bouche de ses frères ces diverses déterminations et conclusions tirées des Veda, le fils de Kuntī — le roi Yudhiṣṭhira, ferme dans le dharma — ne laissa échapper aucune réponse.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical weight of rulership: even authoritative counsel and Vedic reasoning may not immediately move a conscientious king. Yudhiṣṭhira’s silence reflects inner conflict and the seriousness with which rajadharma must be assumed after catastrophic violence.
After the war, Yudhiṣṭhira hears his brothers present various Veda-based arguments and conclusions, yet he remains silent. This sets the stage for Draupadī (in the surrounding passage) to address and encourage him to take up the royal duty of governance and punishment (daṇḍa) in a dharmic way.