Shloka 22

Draupadī’s Exhortation on Rājadharma and Daṇḍa (द्रौपद्याः राजधर्मोपदेशः)

Devanagari script

जम्बूद्वीपेन सदृश: क्रौज्चद्वीपो नराधिप । अधरेण महामेरोर्दण्डेन मृदितस्त्वया,नरेश्वर! जम्बूद्वीपके समान ही क्रौज्चद्वीपको जो महामेरुसे पश्चिम है, आपने दण्डसे कुचल दिया है

Transliteration

jambūdvīpena sadṛśaḥ krauñcadvīpo narādhipa | adhareṇa mahāmeror daṇḍena mṛditas tvayā nareśvara ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana dit : «Ô roi, Krāuñcadvīpa est semblable à Jambūdvīpa. Situé à l’ouest (sur le versant inférieur) du grand Meru, il a été écrasé par ton bâton d’autorité, ô seigneur des hommes.»

Word by Word

जम्बूद्वीपेनwith/like Jambudvipa

सदृशःsimilar

क्रौञ्चद्वीपःKraunca-dvipa (the island/continent named Kraunca)

नराधिपO king (lord of men)

अधरेणby the lower (part/side)

महामेरोःof the great Meru (mountain)

दण्डेनwith a staff/rod; with punishment

मृदितःcrushed, subdued

त्वयाby you

नरेश्वरO lord of men, O king

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

narādhipa (king)

nareśvara (lord of men)

Jambū-dvīpa

Krauñca-dvīpa

Mahāmeru (Mount Meru)

daṇḍa (staff/sceptre)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse uses cosmographic imagery to underscore the reach of royal power (daṇḍa): a king’s authority is portrayed as capable of subduing even vast realms, implying that rulership involves maintaining order through effective sovereignty.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana addresses a king and describes Kraunca-dvīpa as comparable to Jambū-dvīpa, situated relative to Mount Meru, and says it has been ‘crushed’ by the king’s staff—an image of conquest or overpowering dominion expressed through the symbol of the sceptre.