Shloka 18
Drupada’s Alarm and Inquiry Regarding Śikhaṇḍinī (द्रुपदस्य भय-विमर्शः)
तत आसादयामास पुरोधा द्रुपदं पुरे तस्मै पाउचालको राजा गामर्घ्य च सुसत्कृतम्
tata āsādayāmāsa purodhā drupadaṃ pure | tasmai pāñcālako rājā gām arghyaṃ ca susatkṛtam ||
ພີດສະມະກ່າວວ່າ: ແລ້ວພຣະປຸໂຣຫິດແຫ່ງລາຊະວົງກໍໄດ້ເຂົ້າໄປພົບພຣະຣາຊາ ດຣຸປະດ ໃນນະຄອນຂອງພຣະອົງ. ພຣະຣາຊາແຫ່ງປັນຈາລ ໄດ້ຕ້ອນຮັບດ້ວຍການເຄົາລົບຕາມພິທີ ຖວາຍອາຣະຄະ (ນ້ຳຕ້ອນຮັບພິທີການ) ແລະ ງົວໜຶ່ງໂຕເປັນຂອງກຳນັນ. ເຈົ້າຊາຍ ສິຂັນດີ ກໍຢູ່ກັບລາວດ້ວຍ. ໂອ ພຣະຣາຊາຜູ້ປະເສີດ! ພຣະປຸໂຣຫິດບໍ່ຮັບການບູຊານັ້ນ ແລະໄດ້ກ່າວດັ່ງນີ້—
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights that formal honor (arghya, gifts) is not automatically to be accepted; ethical and political context matters. In the war-prelude setting, the priest’s refusal implies that dharma can require restraint from benefiting personally or ritually when the larger situation involves contested loyalties and impending conflict.
A royal priest arrives in Drupada’s city and is welcomed with arghya and a cow by the Panchala king. Shikhandi is present. The priest refuses to accept the offered honors and begins to speak, setting up a consequential diplomatic or moral statement.