Shloka 16
Role-Allocation in Virāṭa’s Court: Nakula, Sahadeva, and Draupadī’s Concealment
सुकुमारी च बाला च राजपुत्री यशस्विनी । पतिव्रता महाभागा कथं नु विचरिष्यति,इसका शरीर अत्यन्त सुकुमार है। इसकी अवस्था नयी है। यह यशस्विनी राजकुमारी परम सौभाग्यवती तथा पतिव्रता है। भला, यह विराटनगरमें किस प्रकार रहेगी?
sukumārī ca bālā ca rājaputrī yaśasvinī | pativratā mahābhāgā kathaṃ nu vicarīṣyati ||
Yudhiṣṭhira berkata: “Dia halus dan masih sangat muda—seorang puteri yang termasyhur. Dia setia kepada suami dan amat bertuah. Maka bagaimana dia akan mampu hidup dan bergerak di kota Virāṭa?”
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a dharmic concern for safeguarding those who are vulnerable: youth, delicacy, and social position can increase risk, so responsible leaders must anticipate dangers and arrange protection without compromising moral integrity.
As the Pāṇḍavas plan their incognito stay during the final year of exile, Yudhiṣṭhira worries about how their famed princess-wife—young, delicate, and devoted—can safely reside in Virāṭa’s city without attracting attention or harm.