Shloka 21

Draupadī Meets Kṛṣṇa’s Queens — Narratives of the Lord’s Marriages and the Queens’ Bhakti

Devanagari script

पित्रा सम्पूजिता: सर्वे यथावीर्यं यथावय: । आददु: सशरं चापं वेद्धुं पर्षदि मद्धिय: ॥ २१ ॥

Transliteration

pitrā sampūjitāḥ sarve yathā-vīryaṁ yathā-vayaḥ ādaduḥ sa-śaraṁ cāpaṁ veddhuṁ parṣadi mad-dhiyaḥ

Translation

父は王たちをそれぞれの武勇と年長の序に従って丁重にもてなした。やがて私に心を定めた者たちは弓矢を取り、会衆のただ中の的を射抜こうと一人ずつ挑んだ。

Synonyms

• पित्रा: by the father
• पित्रा: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन

• सम्पूजिताः: honoured
• सम्पूजिताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-पूज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (Past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘honoured/worshipped’

• सर्वे: all (of them)
• सर्वे: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• यथावीर्यम्: according to strength
• यथावीर्यम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + वीर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव समास; अव्ययवत् प्रयोग (adverbial): ‘according to (their) strength’

• यथावयः: according to age
• यथावयः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + वयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव समास; adverbial: ‘according to age’

• आददुः: they took up
• आददुः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; √दा ‘to take/give’ in sense ‘they took’

• सशरम्: with arrows
• सशरम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (उपसर्ग/सह) + शर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘with arrows’ (सह-अर्थे)

• चापम्: bow
• चापम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• वेद्धुम्: to hit (the target)
• वेद्धुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्यध्/विध् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन् (Infinitive), ‘to pierce/hit’

• पर्षदि: in the assembly
• पर्षदि: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्षद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• मद्धियः: those devoted to me
• मद्धियः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मद् (प्रातिपदिक) + धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘those whose thought is on me / my-minded’

Purport

According to the ācāryas, only those kings who were extremely intent on winning the hand of the princess even dared try to shoot the target.

Characters & Entities

• their father (the king hosting the assembly)
• the assembled princes

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about concentration and focus during one’s duty?

This verse highlights one-pointed attention—“minds fixed on the target”—showing that disciplined focus is essential when performing one’s prescribed responsibility.

Why were the princes honored by their father before attempting to hit the target in the assembly?

The narrative indicates a formal, dharmic setting where the king first offers due respect and recognition, and then the princes act according to their age and ability within the royal court.

Practical application of this shloka’s teaching in modern life?

Do your work according to your capacity and stage of life, and cultivate single-pointed attention—removing distractions—when you aim for a goal.