Shloka 23

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

Devanagari script

अभवद्‌ू भरतश्रेष्ठ द्रपद: प्रणयानतः

Transliteration

abhavad bharataśreṣṭha drupadaḥ praṇayānataḥ | bharataśreṣṭha! tataḥ rājā drupadaḥ premnā vinītaḥ sañjātaḥ evaṃ ca uvāca— “brahman! bhavatā mama sambandhino vacanānusāreṇa yā kathā me śrāvitā, tasyā uttaraṃ mama dūtaḥ svayaṃ gatvā rājñe dāsyati।”

Translation

Bhishma berkata: “Wahai yang terbaik di antara keturunan Bharata, Drupada—luluh oleh kasih—menjadi rendah hati. Lalu dengan hormat ia berkata: ‘Wahai Brahmana, apa yang engkau sampaikan kepadaku sesuai pesan kerabatku, jawabannya akan dibawa oleh utusanku sendiri, yang akan pergi langsung dan menyampaikannya kepada raja.’”

Word by Word

• अभवत्: became / was
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), 3, Singular, परस्मैपद

• भरतश्रेष्ठ: O best of the Bharatas
• Type: Noun
• Root: भरत-श्रेष्ठ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• द्रुपदः: Drupada (the king)
• द्रुपदः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रुपद
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रणयानतः: out of affection / due to love
• प्रणयानतः: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रणय
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Ablative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Drupada
• a Brahmin messenger
• a kinsman/relative (unnamed)
• an envoy (dūta)
• the king (unnamed recipient)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even amid political tension, dharma favors restraint and courteous communication: affection (praṇaya) can soften pride, and a king should respond through proper channels—respectfully, clearly, and without impulsive escalation.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma narrates that King Drupada, moved by affection and becoming humble, addresses a Brahmin messenger. Drupada says that the message he has heard will be answered not immediately in anger or haste, but through his own envoy who will personally deliver the reply to the other king.