Shloka 6

कृपकर्णसंवादः

Kṛpa’s Counsel to Karṇa on Deśa-Kāla and Coordinated Strategy

Devanagari script

अश्वबन्धो5थ नकुलः सहदेवस्तु गोकुले । सैरन्ध्रीं द्रौपदी विद्धि यत्कृते कीचका हता:,अश्वोंकी देखभाल करनेवाले ग्रन्थिक नकुल हैं और गोशालाके अध्यक्ष तन्तिपाल सहदेव। सैरन्ध्रीको ही द्रौपदी समझो, जिसके कारण सभी कीचक मारे गये हैं

Transliteration

aśvabandho 'tha nakulaḥ sahadevas tu gokule | sairandhrīṃ draupadīṃ viddhi yatkṛte kīcakā hatāḥ ||

Translation

Arjuna berkata: “Nakula ialah penjaga kuda, dan Sahadeva ditempatkan di kandang lembu. Ketahuilah bahawa dayang Sairandhrī itu ialah Draupadī—kerana dialah para Kīcaka dibunuh.”

Word by Word

अश्वबन्धःhorse-tender / one who ties and tends horses

अथand then / now

नकुलःNakula

सहदेवःSahadeva

तुbut / indeed

गोकुलेin the cow-pen / cattle-shed

सैरन्ध्रीम्the maidservant (Sairandhrī)

द्रौपदीम्Draupadī

विद्धिknow (you) / understand

यत्कृतेfor whose sake / because of which

कीचकाःthe Kīcakas

हताःkilled / slain

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Arjuna

Nakula

Sahadeva

Draupadi

Sairandhri

Kichakas

Gokula (cowshed/cattle-pen)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores dharma as the protection of the vulnerable and the upholding of dignity: violence driven by lust and coercion (as with the Kīcakas) invites rightful punishment, while the righteous act to safeguard honor even under concealment and hardship.

What is happening in the narrative?

Arjuna reveals key identities from the Pāṇḍavas’ incognito year in Virāṭa’s kingdom: Nakula serves as the horse-keeper, Sahadeva works in the cattle area, and the maid Sairandhrī is actually Draupadī—whose harassment led to the slaying of Kīcaka and his associates.