Shloka 15

Draupadī’s Identification of the Pāṇḍavas and the Onset of the Chariot Engagement (द्रौपदी-पाण्डव-परिचयः)

Devanagari script

किमस्माकं भवेच्छेय: कि कार्यमवशिष्यते । कथं च सुकृतं तत्‌ स्यान्मन्त्रयामोड्द्य यद्धितम्‌,“मित्रो! क्या करनेसे हमलोगोंकी भलाई होगी? हमारे लिये कौन-सा कार्य शेष रह गया है? कैसे करनेसे हमारा कार्य शुभ परिणामजनक होगा? क्या करनेमें हमारा हित है? आज इसी विषयपर हमलोगोंको विचार करना है'

Transliteration

kim asmākaṁ bhavec chreyaḥ? kiṁ kāryam avaśiṣyate? kathaṁ ca sukṛtaṁ tat syān? mantrayāmaḥ adya yad dhitam.

Translation

‘आपल्यासाठी काय श्रेयस्कर ठरेल? आपले कोणते कार्य अजून शिल्लक आहे? ते कसे केले तर उत्तम रीतीने सिद्ध होऊन शुभ फल देईल? आपले हित कशात आहे? आज याचाच विचार करूया.’

Word by Word

[{'term''kim', 'definition': 'what?'}, {'term': 'asmākam', 'definition': 'of us

for us'}, {'term''bhavet', 'definition': 'may be

would become'}, {'term''śreyaḥ', 'definition': 'the better good

what is truly beneficial (as opposed to merely pleasant)'}, {'term''kāryam', 'definition': 'a task to be done

necessary action'}, {'term''avaśiṣyate', 'definition': 'remains

is left over'}, {'term''katham', 'definition': 'how? in what way?'}, {'term': 'sukṛtam', 'definition': 'well done

well-executed'}, {'term''tat', 'definition': 'that (task/undertaking)'}, {'term': 'syāt', 'definition': 'may be

would be'}, {'term''mantrayāmaḥ', 'definition': 'let us consult

let us deliberate (together)'}, {'term''adya', 'definition': 'today

now'}, {'term''yad', 'definition': 'that which

whatever'}, {'term''hitam', 'definition': 'beneficial

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames ethical decision-making as a collective inquiry: identify śreyas (the higher good), clarify what duty remains, and choose the manner of action that makes the outcome auspicious. It emphasizes thoughtful counsel (mantra) over impulsive action.

What is happening in the narrative?

The narrator introduces a moment of consultation: the speakers (implied as a group) pause to assess their situation—what remains to be done and what course will truly benefit them—before proceeding with action.