Shloka 16
Draupadī’s Rebuke of Jayadratha and Dhaumya’s Admonition (Āraṇyaka-parva, Adhyāya 252)
त एवमुक्ता: प्रत्यूचू राजानमरिमर्दनम्
te evamuktāḥ pratyūcuḥ rājānam arimardanam | rājendra tava yā gatir bhaviṣyati saiva asmākam api bhaviṣyati | bhārata tvayā vinā vayaṃ hastināpuraṃ kathaṃ praviśema ||
Vaiśampāyana berkata: Setelah ditegur demikian, para sahabat setia menjawab raja penunduk musuh itu: “Wahai tuan segala raja! Apa jua haluan dan takdir yang menantimu, itulah juga milik kami. Wahai keturunan Bharata! Tanpamu, bagaimana mungkin kami memasuki Hastināpura?”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethic of shared responsibility: true companions accept the same outcome as their leader, valuing fidelity and collective honor over individual safety. It also hints at the moral weight of political allegiance—standing with a king implies sharing the consequences of his chosen path.
After being addressed, the king’s well-wishers/allies respond to Duryodhana, declaring that his fate will be theirs too. They insist they cannot enter Hastināpura without him, emphasizing their dependence on his leadership and their commitment to remain united with him.