Shloka 29
द्रौपदी-भीमसेनसंवादः
Draupadī–Bhīmasena Dialogue on Suffering, Kāla, and Daiva
यदा होन॑ परिवृतं कन्याभिदेदेवरूपिणम् । प्रभिन्नमिव मातडूं परिकीर्ण करेणुनि:
yadā haiva parivṛtaṃ kanyābhir devatārūpiṇam | prabhinnam iva mātaṅgaṃ parikīrṇaṃ kareṇubhiḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana berkata: Setiap kali aku melihat Arjuna, putera Kuntī—yang mengambil rupa laksana dewa—duduk di tengah bunyi alat-alat muzik dan irama, dikelilingi para gadis di balai tari, sedang berkhidmat kepada Virāṭa, raja Matsya yang bergelar tuan kekayaan, maka dia tampak seperti gajah jantan agung yang sedang musth, dikepung gajah-gajah betina, dengan aliran mengalir dari pelipisnya. Pada pemandangan itu penglihatanku berpusing; seolah-olah gelap menutupi mataku dan aku hilang segala arah.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the strain of dharma under concealment: a heroic warrior must accept an outwardly incongruent role to keep a vow and protect a larger righteous aim. It also shows how attachment to social expectations can cause inner disorientation when confronted with a dharmic necessity that overturns appearances.
During the Pāṇḍavas’ incognito year in Virāṭa’s court, Arjuna lives as a dance-and-music teacher in a feminine guise. The speaker describes seeing him seated among instruments and surrounded by maidens while serving King Virāṭa, comparing him to a rutting elephant encircled by cow-elephants, and expresses being overwhelmed and losing composure at the sight.