Shloka 6
रामस्य पम्पातीरगमनम्, सुग्रीवसख्यं, वालिवधः, सीतारक्षणवृत्तान्तश्च
Rāma at Pampā; alliance with Sugrīva; Vālin’s fall; Sītā’s guarded captivity
एतस्मिन्नन्तरे राजन् द्रौपदी योषितां वरा
etasminn antare rājan draupadī yoṣitāṃ varā
Vaiśampāyana said: “Just then, O King, Draupadī—foremost among women—(came/appeared),” introducing her presence at a decisive moment in the unfolding events and signaling her moral and emotional weight in the narrative.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Though brief, the line frames Draupadī as “foremost among women,” highlighting her exemplary stature—moral courage, steadfastness in adversity, and the ethical seriousness she brings whenever she enters the scene.
The narrator marks a transition: “Meanwhile/at that moment,” Draupadī appears or becomes the focus, preparing the audience for her speech, action, or the next turn of events in the episode.