Shloka 12

Devanagari script

वैशम्पायन उवाच इति स द्रुपदो राजा स्वयंवरमघोषयत्‌ | तच्छुत्वा पार्थिवा: सर्वे समीयुस्तत्र भारत,वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--जनमेजय! इस प्रकार राजा ट्रुपदने जब स्वयंवरकी घोषणा करा दी, तब उसे सुनकर सब राजा वहाँ उनकी राजधानीमें एकत्र होने लगे

Transliteration

Vaiśampāyana uvāca: iti sa Drupado rājā svayaṃvaram aghoṣayat | tac chrutvā pārthivāḥ sarve samīyus tatra, Bhārata |

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Thus King Drupada proclaimed a svayaṃvara. Hearing of it, all the kings gathered there, O descendant of Bharata. The episode marks a public, dharma-framed royal decision—marriage as a political and ethical institution conducted before the wider kṣatriya world.

Word by Word

वैशम्पायनःVaishampayana

उवाचsaid

इतिthus

सःhe

द्रुपदःDrupada

राजाking

स्वयंवरम्svayamvara (bridegroom-choice ceremony)

अघोषयत्proclaimed/announced

तत्that (news/announcement)

श्रुत्वाhaving heard

पार्थिवाःkings

सर्वेall

समीयुःcame together/assembled

तत्रthere

भारतO Bharata (Janamejaya)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Drupada

Janamejaya

Bhārata (dynastic epithet)

pārthivāḥ (kings)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how major life and political decisions in a kṣatriya setting are made through public, rule-governed institutions (like a svayaṃvara), emphasizing legitimacy, transparency, and dharma in royal conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates that King Drupada has announced a svayaṃvara; upon hearing the proclamation, many kings begin assembling at the designated place for the event.