Shloka 39
द्रौपद्याः भीमसेन-प्रबोधनम्
Draupadī Awakens Bhīmasena
वैशम्पायन उवाच एवं सम्पूजयन्तस्ते कृष्णां प्रेक्ष्य सभासद: । युधिछिरस्य कोपात् तु ललाटे स्वेद आगमत्,वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--राजन्! जब इस प्रकार द्रौपदीको देखकर सभासद् उसकी प्रशंसा कर रहे थे, उस समय कीचकके प्रति क्रोध होनेके कारण युधिष्ठिरके ललाटमें पसीना आ गया
vaiśampāyana uvāca evaṃ sampūjayantas te kṛṣṇāṃ prekṣya sabhāsadaḥ | yudhiṣṭhirasya kopāt tu lalāṭe sveda āgamat ||
Vaiśampāyana said: As the courtiers, looking upon Kṛṣṇā (Draupadī), were thus honoring and praising her, Yudhiṣṭhira—angered on account of Kīcaka—began to sweat upon his forehead. The scene underscores the tension between outward restraint and inward moral outrage in the face of harassment and injustice.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical tension between self-control and righteous indignation: even when one must remain outwardly composed due to circumstance, inner moral revulsion at adharma (here, Kīcaka’s misconduct) can be intense. Yudhiṣṭhira’s perspiration signals restrained fury and the burden of protecting honor while maintaining strategic concealment.
In Virāṭa’s court, the assembly admires and praises Draupadī (serving incognito). As the courtiers look at her with admiration, Yudhiṣṭhira—also in disguise—burns with anger toward Kīcaka, whose predatory intent threatens her. His suppressed rage manifests physically as sweat on his forehead.