Shloka 20

Draupadī’s Rebuke of Jayadratha and Dhaumya’s Admonition (Āraṇyaka-parva, Adhyāya 252)

Devanagari script

कुशचीराम्बरधर: परं नियममास्थित: । वाग्यतो राजशार्दूल: स स्वर्गगतिकाम्यया

Transliteration

kuśacīrāmbaradharaḥ paraṃ niyamam āsthitaḥ | vāgyato rājaśārdūlaḥ sa svargagatīkāmyayā

Translation

वैशंपायन म्हणाले—कुश व वल्कलाची वस्त्रे धारण करून त्या राजशार्दूलाने परम नियम-तप स्वीकारला. वाणी संयमित ठेवून स्वर्गगतीच्या इच्छेने त्याने तो व्रताचार आरंभिला।

Word by Word

कुशचीराम्बरधरःone who wears garments of kuśa-grass and bark

परम्supreme; highest

नियमम्vow; restraint; observance

आस्थितःhaving undertaken; having adopted

वाग्यतःrestrained in speech; silent

राजशार्दूलःtiger among kings (O best of kings)

सःhe

स्वर्गगतिःgoing to heaven; heavenly course

काम्ययाwith desire; for the sake of wishing

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

rājaśārdūla (a king, unnamed in this verse)

svarga (heaven)

kuśa-grass

bark-cloth (cīra)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

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 niyama and vāg-yama (discipline and restraint of speech) as key components of tapas: ethical self-control expressed through simple living and regulated conduct, undertaken with a clear spiritual aim (here, attainment of svarga).

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes a king adopting ascetic markers—kuśa-grass and bark garments—and entering a strict observance. He controls his speech and performs austerity motivated by the wish to reach heaven.