Shloka 21

द्रौपद्याः भीमसेन-प्रबोधनम्

Draupadī Awakens Bhīmasena

Devanagari script

आकारमभिरक्षन्ती प्रतिज्ञाधर्मसंहिता । दहामानेव रौद्रेण चक्षुषा द्रुपदात्मजा,उस समय वह प्रतिज्ञारूप धर्मसे आबद्ध होनेके कारण अपने स्वरूपको छिपा रही थी; किंतु उसके नेत्र मानो जला रहे हों, इस प्रकार भयंकर हो उठे थे

Transliteration

ākāram abhirakṣantī pratijñā-dharma-saṃhitā | dahāmānā iva raudreṇa cakṣuṣā drupadātmajā ||

Translation

Terikat oleh dharma sumpahnya, puteri Drupada menyembunyikan jati dirinya; namun matanya, garang oleh amarah, seolah-olah sedang menyala terbakar.

Word by Word

आकारम्form, appearance

अभिरक्षन्तीprotecting, guarding (i.e., concealing)

प्रतिज्ञा-धर्म-संहिताbound/held by the duty of a vow

दहामानाburning (as if)

इवas if, like

रौद्रेणwith fierceness, with wrath

चक्षुषाwith (her) eye(s), by (her) gaze

द्रुपद-आत्मजाDrupada's daughter (Draupadī)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Drupadātmajā (Draupadī)

Drupada

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical tension between inner emotion and outer restraint: even when anger flares, one may remain bound by a vow (pratijñā) and uphold dharma through self-control and concealment when circumstances demand it.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes Draupadī during the Pāṇḍavas’ incognito stay: she hides her true identity in accordance with their pledged duty of secrecy, yet her furious, ‘burning’ eyes reveal the intensity of her inner indignation.