Shloka 31

Draupadī’s Grief at Seeing the Heroes in Disguise (द्रौपदी-विषादः / वेष-परिभव-वर्णनम्)

Devanagari script

अतदर्ह महाप्राज्ञं जीवितार्थेडभिसंस्थितम्‌ | दृष्टवा कस्य न दु:खं स्याद्‌ धर्मात्मानं युधिष्ठिरम्‌,जो धर्मात्मा और परम बुद्धिमान्‌ हैं, जिनका कभी इस दुरवस्थामें पड़ना उचित नहीं है, वे ही जीविकाके लिये आज दूसरेके घरमें पड़े हैं। महाराज युधिष्ठिरको इस दशामें देखकर किसे दुःख न होगा?

Transliteration

atadarhaṁ mahāprājñaṁ jīvitārthe 'bhisaṁsthitam | dṛṣṭvā kasya na duḥkhaṁ syād dharmātmānaṁ yudhiṣṭhiram ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana dit : «En voyant Yudhiṣṭhira —à l’âme droite et d’une sagesse suprême— réduit à une condition indigne de lui, contraint de chercher asile dans la maison d’autrui pour simplement subsister, qui ne serait pas saisi de tristesse ?»

Word by Word

अतत्-अर्हम्not deserving of that (state)

महाप्राज्ञम्very wise

जीवित-अर्थेfor the sake of livelihood

अभिसंस्थितम्situated/placed; having taken refuge (in a position)

दृष्ट्वाhaving seen

कस्यof whom; for whom

नnot

दुःखम्sorrow

स्यात्would be

धर्मात्मानम्the righteous-souled one

युधिष्ठिरम्Yudhishthira

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Yudhiṣṭhira

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 highlights the ethical poignancy of dharma under adversity: even the most righteous and wise can be forced by circumstance into humiliating dependence, and such a sight naturally awakens compassion and reflection on the instability of worldly status.

What is happening in the narrative?

During the Pāṇḍavas’ incognito year in the Virāṭa realm, Yudhiṣṭhira lives in a subordinate role for mere survival. Vaiśampāyana remarks that seeing a king of such dharmic stature reduced to dependence would cause grief to anyone.