Shloka 24

Draupadī’s Exhortation on Rājadharma and Daṇḍa (द्रौपद्याः राजधर्मोपदेशः)

Devanagari script

उत्तरेण महामेरो: शाकद्वीपेन सम्मित: । भद्राश्वः पुरुषव्यात्र दण्डेन मृदितस्त्वया

Transliteration

uttareṇa mahāmeroḥ śākadvīpena sammitāḥ | bhadrāśvaḥ puruṣavyāghra daṇḍena mṛditas tvayā

Translation

ବୈଶମ୍ପାୟନ କହିଲେ—ମହାମେରୁର ଉତ୍ତରେ ଶାକଦ୍ୱୀପ ସମପରିମାଣ ଏକ ପ୍ରଦେଶ ଅଛି; ସେଠାରେ ଭଦ୍ରାଶ୍ୱ (ଦେଶ/ଜନ) ଅଛି। ହେ ପୁରୁଷବ୍ୟାଘ୍ର! ତାହାକୁ ମଧ୍ୟ ତୁମେ ନିଜ ଦଣ୍ଡଦ୍ୱାରା ଦମିତ କରିଛ।

Word by Word

• उत्तरेण: to the north of
• उत्तरेण: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उत्तर
• Form: Avyaya (instrumental-form used adverbially: 'to the north of')

• महामेरोः: of (the) great Meru
• महामेरोः: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महामेरु
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• शाकद्वीपेन: with/like Śākadvīpa
• शाकद्वीपेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाकद्वीप
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• सम्मितः: measured; equal in extent
• सम्मितः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + मा (मि) (PPP: सम्मित)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भद्राश्वः: Bhadrāśva (a varṣa/region)
• भद्राश्वः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भद्राश्व
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पुरुषव्याघ्र: O tiger among men
• पुरुषव्याघ्र: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुषव्याघ्र
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• दण्डेन: with a staff/rod; by punishment
• दण्डेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• मृदितः: crushed; subdued
• मृदितः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृद् (PPP: मृदित)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: त्वद्
• Form: Second person pronoun, Instrumental, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Mahāmeru (Meru)
• Śākadvīpa
• Bhadrāśva
• Daṇḍa (rod of authority)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse invokes daṇḍa—royal authority and punishment—as a dharmic instrument for maintaining order. Ethical governance is implied: power is justified when used to restrain disorder and establish stability, not for personal cruelty.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes a cosmographic setting around Meru and names regions such as Śākadvīpa and Bhadrāśva, while addressing a heroic figure as “puruṣavyāghra,” stating that Bhadrāśva has been brought under control by that person’s exercise of authority (daṇḍa).