Shloka 29
Draupadī-apaharaṇa-saṃdeśaḥ
Report of Draupadī’s Abduction and the Pāṇḍavas’ Pursuit
तैर्विसृष्टं महाबाहुं कृत्या सैवानयत् पुनः । तमेव देशं यत्रासौ तदा प्रायमुपाविशत्
tair visṛṣṭaṃ mahābāhuṃ kṛtyā saivānayat punaḥ | tameva deśaṃ yatrāsau tadā prāyam upāviśat ||
അവർ വിട്ടയച്ച മഹാബാഹുവിനെ അതേ കൃത്യ തന്നെ വീണ്ടും അതേ സ്ഥലത്തേക്ക് കൊണ്ടുവന്നു; അവൻ മുമ്പ് പ്രായോപവേശം (ആമരണ ഉപവാസം) അനുഷ്ഠിക്കാൻ ഇരുന്നിരുന്ന സ്ഥലത്തേക്ക് തന്നെ.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how unethical means—here, a kṛtyā (sorcerous force)—can be deployed to manipulate a person’s resolve. It cautions that vows and acts of self-discipline (like prāya, fasting unto death) can be distorted when driven by anger, rivalry, or coercion rather than dharmic intent.
A kṛtyā that had been dispatched is described as bringing the mighty-armed Duryodhana back to the very spot where he had earlier seated himself to undertake prāya—fasting unto death. The narration frames a return to the scene of his prior extreme resolve.