Shloka 5

Draupadī’s Lament and the Question of Kṣatriya Forbearance (द्रौपद्याः शोकप्रलापः क्षमानिर्णयश्च)

Devanagari script

तस्मै प्रोवाच तत्‌ सर्वमेवं पृष्ट: पितामह: । सर्वनिश्चयवित्‌ प्राज्ञ: संशयं परिपृच्छते,बलिके इस प्रकार पूछनेपर समस्त सिद्धान्तोंके ज्ञाता विद्वान्‌ पितामह प्रह्नादने संदेह निवारण करनेके लिये पूछनेवाले पौत्रके प्रति इस प्रकार कहा

Transliteration

tasmai provāca tat sarvam evaṁ pṛṣṭaḥ pitāmahaḥ | sarvaniścayavit prājñaḥ saṁśayaṁ paripṛcchate ||

Translation

When he had thus been questioned, the Grandsire—wise and fully conversant with settled conclusions—told him everything. Seeing the questioner’s doubt, he spoke in order to remove that uncertainty and to set the matter on firm understanding.

Word by Word

• {'tasmai': 'to him

• for him (dative singular)', 'provāca': 'said

• declared (perfect of √vac, ‘to speak’)', 'tat sarvam': 'all that

• the whole matter', 'evaṁ': 'thus

• in this manner', 'pṛṣṭaḥ': 'having been asked

• questioned', 'pitāmahaḥ': 'the Grandsire

• an elder patriarch (here: Prahlāda as the elder in the dialogue)', 'sarva-niścaya-vit': 'knower of all settled conclusions

• one who knows final determinations', 'prājñaḥ': 'wise

• discerning', 'saṁśayam': 'doubt

• uncertainty', 'paripṛcchate': 'of the one who asks closely

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Pitāmaha (Prahlāda)
• the questioner (grandson/inquirer)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A qualified elder (pitāmaha), described as wise and knowing settled conclusions, should respond to sincere inquiry by removing doubt and presenting the matter clearly and completely—an ethical model of instruction grounded in discernment and certainty.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates that, after being questioned, the Grandsire (Prahlāda in this dialogue) begins his reply, addressing the inquirer’s uncertainty and proceeding to explain the subject in full.