Shloka 28

Draupadī’s Identification of the Pāṇḍavas and the Onset of the Chariot Engagement (द्रौपदी-पाण्डव-परिचयः)

Devanagari script

प्रययौ च महेष्वासो नक्षत्रे शुभदैवते । शुभे तिथौ मुहूर्ते च पूज्यमानो द्विजातिभि:,तदनन्तर महान धनुर्धर कर्णने मांगलिक शुभ पदार्थोंसे जलके द्वारा स्नान करके द्विजातियोंकी आशीर्वादमय वाणीसे सम्मानित एवं प्रशंसित हो शुभ नक्षत्र, शुभ तिथि और शुभ मुहूर्तमें यात्रा की। उस समय वह अपने रथकी घर्घराहटसे चराचर भूतोंसहित समस्त त्रिलोकीको प्रतिध्वनित कर रहा था

Transliteration

prayayau ca maheṣvāso nakṣatre śubhadaivate | śubhe tithau muhūrte ca pūjyamāno dvijātibhiḥ |

Translation

やがて大弓手カルナは、福徳の神の司る吉祥の星宿のもと、吉き月日と吉き刻を選び、二度生まれの者ら（婆羅門）に礼讃され祝福されつつ、旅立った。

Word by Word

प्रययौwent forth / departed

चand

महेष्वासःthe great archer

नक्षत्रेin (an) asterism

शुभदैवतेhaving an auspicious presiding deity

शुभेon an auspicious (one)

तिथौon a lunar day (tithi)

मुहूर्तेat a (chosen) moment

चand

पूज्यमानःbeing honored / worshipped

द्विजातिभिःby the twice-born (Brahmins etc.)

Speaker

कर्ण उवाच

Characters & Entities

Karna

maheṣvāsa (the great archer—contextually Karna)

dvijāti (twice-born/Brahmins)

nakṣatra

tithi

muhūrta

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the traditional ideal that major actions—especially those with public consequence—should be undertaken with due regard for dharma as expressed through ritual propriety, auspicious timing, and the sanction/blessings of respected elders (here, the dvijātis).

What is happening in the narrative?

Karna narrates that the great archer departs on a carefully chosen auspicious constellation, lunar day, and moment, while being honored by the twice-born—signaling a formally approved and ritually strengthened commencement of the journey.