Vana Parva Adhyaya 252 Shloka 20 - Mahabharata | Hindi | Vedapath

Vyasa

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Shloka 20

Draupadī’s Rebuke of Jayadratha and Dhaumya’s Admonition (Āraṇyaka-parva, Adhyāya 252)

Devanagari script

कुशचीराम्बरधर: परं नियममास्थित: । वाग्यतो राजशार्दूल: स स्वर्गगतिकाम्यया

Transliteration

kuśacīrāmbaradharaḥ paraṃ niyamam āsthitaḥ | vāgyato rājaśārdūlaḥ sa svargagatīkāmyayā

Translation

वैशम्पायन बोले—कुश और वल्कल के वस्त्र धारण किए हुए, राजशार्दूल ने परम तप-नियम का आश्रय लिया। वाणी को संयम में रखकर, स्वर्ग-गति की कामना से उसने उस व्रत का अनुष्ठान किया।

Word by Word

कुशचीराम्बरधरःone who wears garments of kuśa-grass and bark

परम्supreme; highest

नियमम्vow; restraint; observance

आस्थितःhaving undertaken; having adopted

वाग्यतःrestrained in speech; silent

राजशार्दूलःtiger among kings (O best of kings)

सःhe

स्वर्गगतिःgoing to heaven; heavenly course

काम्ययाwith desire; for the sake of wishing

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

rājaśārdūla (a king, unnamed in this verse)

svarga (heaven)

kuśa-grass

bark-cloth (cīra)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

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 niyama and vāg-yama (discipline and restraint of speech) as key components of tapas: ethical self-control expressed through simple living and regulated conduct, undertaken with a clear spiritual aim (here, attainment of svarga).

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes a king adopting ascetic markers—kuśa-grass and bark garments—and entering a strict observance. He controls his speech and performs austerity motivated by the wish to reach heaven.