Shloka 27
द्रौपद्याः भीमसेन-प्रबोधनम्
Draupadī Awakens Bhīmasena
“मेरे पति इस सम्पूर्ण संसारको मार सकते हैं; किंतु वे धर्मके बन्धनमें बँधे हैं, इसीसे आज उनकी मुझ मानिनी पत्नीपर सूतपुत्रने पैरसे प्रहार किया है ।।
mama patiḥ imaṃ samastaṃ saṃsāraṃ hantum arhati; kintu sa dharmabandhane baddhaḥ. ata eva adya sūtaputreṇa mama māninī-bhāryāyāḥ pādena prahāraḥ kṛtaḥ. śaraṇaṃ ye prapannānāṃ bhavanti śaraṇārthinām, caranti loke pracchannāḥ kva nu te ’dya mahārathāḥ?
ヴァイシャンパーヤナは語った。「我が夫はこの全世界を滅ぼし得る力を持つ。だがダルマの戒めに縛られている。ゆえに今日、御者の子は、敬われる妻であるこの私を足で打つことさえ敢えてした。庇護を求める者、帰依して身を委ねた者すべての拠り所となるあの大車戦士たちは、いまどこにいるのか。姿を隠し、世をさまよっているのはどこなのか。」
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Power without dharma is not praised: even one capable of overwhelming violence restrains himself under moral duty. The verse also elevates the ideal of the protector—those who give refuge to the surrendered—highlighting the ethical obligation to defend the vulnerable and uphold honor.
During the Pāṇḍavas’ year of concealment in Virāṭa’s kingdom, Draupadī is humiliated when Kīcaka (derided as a sūtaputra) kicks her. She laments that her mighty protectors—her husbands, famed as refuge-givers—are forced by their vow and dharma to remain hidden, unable to reveal themselves immediately.