Shloka 15
धृतराष्ट्राश्रमगमनम् — The Pandavas’ Procession to Dhritarashtra’s Hermitage
द्रौपद्या सह सम्भूतं धृष्टद्युम्नं च पावकात् । अन्नेर्भागं शुभं विद्धि राक्षसं तु शिखण्डिनम्,तुम्हें यह भी ज्ञात होना चाहिये कि जो द्रौपदीके साथ अग्निसे प्रकट हुआ था, वह धष्टद्यम्मन अग्निका शुभ अंश था और शिखण्डीके रूपमें एक राक्षसने अवतार लिया था
drau padyā saha sambhūtaṃ dhṛṣṭadyumnaṃ ca pāvakāt | annerbhāgaṃ śubhaṃ viddhi rākṣasaṃ tu śikhaṇḍinam ||
ദ്രൗപദിയോടൊപ്പം പാവകത്തിൽ (അഗ്നിയിൽ) നിന്നു പ്രത്യക്ഷപ്പെട്ട ധൃഷ്ടദ്യുമ്നൻ അഗ്നിയുടെ ശുഭാംശമാണെന്ന് അറിയുക; എന്നാൽ ശിഖണ്ഡി രാക്ഷസാവതാരമാണെന്ന് അറിയുക.
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames key agents of the Kurukṣetra war as embodiments of larger cosmic forces: Dhṛṣṭadyumna as an auspicious share of Agni, and Śikhaṇḍin as a rākṣasa-incarnation. Ethically, it suggests that historical outcomes—especially in war—unfold through a convergence of human choice and supra-human destinies, complicating simple moral judgments.
Vyāsa is informing (or reminding) the listener about the extraordinary origins of major figures: Dhṛṣṭadyumna’s fiery manifestation alongside Draupadī, and Śikhaṇḍin’s identity as a rākṣasa in that embodiment—details that contextualize their decisive roles in the war, particularly Dhṛṣṭadyumna’s leadership and Śikhaṇḍin’s instrumental part in Bhīṣma’s downfall.