Shloka 70

Drupada’s Alarm and Inquiry Regarding Śikhaṇḍinī (द्रुपदस्य भय-विमर्शः)

Devanagari script

वैशम्पायन उवाच हम त्वा तु कौरव्यो राजा दुर्योधनस्तदा । स ध्यात्वा भीष्मे युक्तममन्यत,वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--जनमेजय! यह सब सुनकर कुरुवंशी राजा दुर्योधनने दो घड़ीतक कुछ सोच-विचारकर भीष्मके लिये शिखण्डीका वध न करना उचित ही मान लिया

Transliteration

Vaiśampāyana uvāca: haṁ tvā tu kauravyo rājā duryodhanas tadā | sa dhyātvā bhīṣme yuktam amanyata śikhaṇḍinaṁ na vadhitum ||

Translation

વૈશમ્પાયન બોલ્યા—હે જનમેજય! આ બધું સાંભળી કૌરવ રાજા દુર્યોધને થોડો વિચાર કર્યો અને ભીષ્મના વિષયમાં શિખંડીનો વધ ન કરવો જ યોગ્ય છે એમ માન્યું.

Word by Word

वैशम्पायनःVaiśampāyana

उवाचsaid

अहम्I

त्वाyou

तुbut/indeed

कौरव्यःKaurava (of the Kuru line)

राजाking

दुर्योधनःDuryodhana

तदाthen

सःhe

ध्यात्वाhaving thought/considered

भीष्मेin/with regard to Bhīṣma

युक्तम्proper/appropriate

अमन्यतthought/considered

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Janamejaya

Duryodhana

Bhīṣma

Śikhaṇḍin

Kuru (Kaurava lineage)

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?

Even amid war, leaders weigh what is 'yukta' (proper) in light of moral constraints and reputational dharma; Duryodhana’s reflection shows an ethical calculus about how Bhīṣma should be engaged and what actions are considered fitting.

What is happening in the narrative?

After hearing prior counsel/events, Duryodhana pauses to think and decides that it is appropriate not to kill Śikhaṇḍin in the context of the plan involving Bhīṣma, indicating a deliberate choice about tactics and propriety.