Shloka 31

Virāṭa-parva Adhyāya 13 — Kīcaka’s Proposition and Draupadī’s Dharmic Refusal

Devanagari script

अरज्यत जन: सर्व: सोत्क़रुष्टनिनदोत्थित: । बलिनो: संयुगे राजन्‌ वृत्रवासवयोरिव

Transliteration

arajyata janaḥ sarvaḥ sotkṛṣṭa-ninadotthitaḥ | balinoḥ saṁyuge rājan vṛtra-vāsavayor iva ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: The entire crowd was thrown into agitation, stirred up by the loud, exalted uproar. O King, it was as though two mighty champions had met in battle—like Vṛtra and Vāsava (Indra) in their famed combat.

Word by Word

अरज्यत्rejoiced, became delighted

जनःthe people, the crowd

सर्वःall (of them)

सोत्कृष्टनिनदोत्थितःarisen from an excellent roar (i.e., stirred up by loud acclaim)

बलिनोःof the two mighty ones

संयुगेin the battle

राजन्O king

वृत्रवासवयोःof Vṛtra and Vāsava (Indra)

इवlike, as

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Janamejaya

Vṛtra

Vāsava (Indra)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how collective emotion is shaped by the spectacle of power: when mighty opponents clash, society is swept up by noise and excitement. Ethically, it cautions that public fervor can arise from mere tumult and display, not necessarily from discernment.

What is happening in the narrative?

A fierce encounter between two powerful fighters has begun or intensified, producing a great roar. The onlookers become stirred and restless, and the narrator compares the clash to the legendary battle between Indra (Vāsava) and Vṛtra.