Shloka 28
द्रौपद्याः भीमसेन-प्रबोधनम्
Draupadī Awakens Bhīmasena
कथं ते सूतपुत्रेण वध्यमानां प्रियां सतीम् । मर्षयन्ति यथा क्लीबा बलवन्तोडमितौजस:
kathaṁ te sūtaputreṇa vadhyamānāṁ priyāṁ satīm | marṣayanti yathā klībā balavantodamitaujasaḥ ||
वैशम्पायन बोले— वे बलवान और अमिततेजस्वी पुरुष अपनी प्रिय सती-साध्वी पत्नी को सूतपुत्र द्वारा पीड़ित होते देखकर कायरों और नपुंसकों की भाँति यह अपमान कैसे सह रहे हैं?
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a moral challenge around kṣatriya-dharma: the strong are expected to protect the honor and safety of the virtuous, especially one’s spouse. Enduring public humiliation and violence without response is condemned here as a failure of duty and courage.
The speaker expresses indignation that powerful men are seemingly allowing their beloved, chaste wife to be attacked and dishonored by a ‘sūtaputra’ (a charioteer’s son), and rebukes such inaction as cowardly.