Shloka 20
Droṇotpattiḥ and Dhanurveda-Prāpti
Origin of Droṇa and Acquisition of Martial Science
अपुत्रा पुरुषव्याप्र विललापेति न: श्रुतम् । भद्रा परमदु:खार्ता तन्निबोध जनाधिप
aputrā puruṣavyāghra vilalāpeti naḥ śrutam | bhadrā paramaduḥkhārtā tannibodha janādhipa ||
Waiśampāyana berkata: “Wahai harimau di antara manusia, wahai penguasa rakyat! Kami mendengar bahwa Bhadrā tidak memiliki putra; karena itu, dilanda duka yang terdalam, ia pun meratap. Dengarkanlah ratapannya, wahai raja.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds the social and dharmic weight placed on progeny and lineage in epic culture, showing how childlessness can become a source of intense personal suffering; it also models attentive listening to a narrated tradition as a means of learning.
Vaiśampāyana reports to the king that Bhadrā had no son and, distressed by this, began to lament; he invites the listener to hear the account of her lamentation.