Shloka 17
अध्याय २७०: प्रहस्त-वधः, धूम्राक्ष-हननं, कुम्भकर्ण-प्रबोधनम्
Chapter 270: Slaying of Prahasta; Defeat of Dhūmrākṣa; Awakening of Kumbhakarṇa
जयद्रथेनापहता प्रमथ्य पज्चेन्द्रकल्पान् परिभूय कृष्णा । तिष्ठन्ति वर्त्मानि नवान्यमूनि वक्षाश्ष न म्लान्ति तथैव भग्ना:,तब अपने सुन्दर मुखपर बहते हुए आँसुओंको (दोनों हाथोंसे) पोंछकर धात्रेयिकाने सारथि इन्द्रसेनसे कहा--“इन्द्रसेन! इन्द्रके समान पराक्रमी इन पाँचों पाण्डवोंका अपमान करके जयद्रथने हठपूर्वक द्रौपदीका अपहरण किया है। देखो, उसके रथ और सैनिकोंके जानेसे जो ये नये मार्ग बन गये हैं, वे ज्यों-के-त्यों हैं, मिटे नहीं हैं तथा ये टूटे हुए वृक्ष भी अभी मुरझाये नहीं हैं
jayadrathenāpahatā pramathya pañcendrakalpān paribhūya kṛṣṇā | tiṣṭhanti vartmāni navāny amūni vṛkṣāś ca na mlānti tathaiva bhagnāḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana said: “Having been seized by Jayadratha—who, after overpowering and insulting Kṛṣṇā (Draupadī) and defying the five Pāṇḍavas, each like Indra in might—she points out the signs of his flight: ‘Look—these fresh tracks still remain, and the broken trees have not yet withered.’” The verse underscores the adharma of abducting a protected woman through arrogance and force, and it frames the pursuit as a righteous response to outrage and violation.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights adharma: abducting and humiliating a protected woman through force and arrogance. It also implies the dharmic necessity of responding to such wrongdoing—pursuing the offender and restoring violated honor—grounded in justice rather than mere vengeance.
After Jayadratha abducts Draupadī, the narration notes visible evidence of his escape route: fresh wheel/foot tracks and recently broken trees that have not yet withered. These signs indicate the abductors have passed only moments earlier, enabling immediate pursuit.