Shloka 17
अङ्गददूतवाक्यं लङ्काप्राकारभेदनं च
Angada’s Embassy and the Breach of Laṅkā’s Ramparts
भार्या मे भव सुश्रोणि त्यजैनान् सुखमाप्न॒हि । अखिलान् सिन्धुसौवीरानाप्ठुहि त्वं मया सह,सुन्दरि! तुम मेरी भार्या बन जाओ। इन पाण्डवोंको छोड़ दो और मेरे साथ रहकर सुख भोगो। मेरे साथ रहनेसे तुम्हें सम्पूर्ण सिन्धु और सौवीरदेशका राज्य प्राप्त होगा, तुम महारानी बनोगी
bhāryā me bhava suśroṇi tyajainān sukham āpnuhi | akhilān sindhusauvīrān āpnuhi tvaṃ mayā saha, sundari ||
Jayadratha said: “Become my wife, O fair-hipped lady. Abandon these Pāṇḍavas and attain happiness. Living with me, O beautiful one, you will obtain the entire realms of Sindhu and Sauvīra and enjoy the status of a queen.” In the narrative, this is a coercive, desire-driven proposal that violates the ethical boundaries of marriage and consent, setting Jayadratha in opposition to dharma and foreshadowing the consequences of abducting Draupadī.
जयद्रथ उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how kāma (selfish desire) and greed for power lead to adharma: Jayadratha attempts to entice a married woman with pleasure and sovereignty, disregarding her agency and the sanctity of marriage. The epic frames such coercive temptation as morally corrupt and ultimately self-destructive.
During the Pāṇḍavas’ forest exile, Jayadratha encounters their wife (Draupadī) and tries to persuade her to leave the Pāṇḍavas and become his queen, promising her the kingdoms of Sindhu and Sauvīra. This proposal is part of the lead-up to his attempted abduction and the ensuing retaliation.