Shloka 24

Draupadī’s Rebuke of Jayadratha and Dhaumya’s Admonition (Āraṇyaka-parva, Adhyāya 252)

Devanagari script

अथर्ववेदप्रोक्तैश्न याश्नोपनिषदि क्रिया: । मन्त्रजप्यसमायुक्तास्तास्तदा समवर्तयन्‌

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | atharvavedaproktaīr mantrair bṛhaspatiśukrācāryavarṇitaiś ca agnivistārasādhyayajñakarmāṇi ārabdhāni | yāś copaniṣadi (āraṇyake) mantrajapyasamāyuktā havanādikriyāḥ proktās tā api tadā samavartayan | duryodhanasya niścayaṃ jñātvā pātālavāsino bhayaṅkarā daityadānavāḥ—ye pūrvakāle devaiḥ parājitāḥ—manasā vicārayām āsuḥ: “asya prāṇānte asmākaṃ pakṣa eva naśyet” iti; tasmāt taṃ svapārśvaṃ ānetuṃ mantravidyānipuṇāḥ te mantraiḥ karmāṇi cakruḥ ||

Translation

ବୈଶମ୍ପାୟନ କହିଲେ—ଦୁର୍ଯ୍ୟୋଧନଙ୍କ ଏହି ନିଶ୍ଚୟ ଜାଣି ପାତାଳବାସୀ ଭୟଙ୍କର ଦୈତ୍ୟ-ଦାନବମାନେ—ଯେମାନେ ପୂର୍ବକାଳରେ ଦେବମାନଙ୍କ ହାତରେ ପରାଜିତ ହୋଇଥିଲେ—ମନେମନେ ଚିନ୍ତା କଲେ: “ଦୁର୍ଯ୍ୟୋଧନଙ୍କ ପ୍ରାଣାନ୍ତ ହେଲେ ଆମ ପକ୍ଷ ମଧ୍ୟ ନଷ୍ଟ ହେବ।” ତେଣୁ ତାଙ୍କୁ ନିଜ ସନ୍ନିଧିକୁ ଆଣିବା ପାଇଁ ମନ୍ତ୍ରବିଦ୍ୟାରେ ନିପୁଣ ସେମାନେ ସେହି ସମୟରେ ବୃହସ୍ପତି ଓ ଶୁକ୍ରାଚାର୍ଯ୍ୟଙ୍କ ଦ୍ୱାରା ବର୍ଣ୍ଣିତ ଏବଂ ଅଥର୍ବବେଦରେ ପ୍ରତିପାଦିତ ମନ୍ତ୍ରମାନଙ୍କ ସହ ଅଗ୍ନିବିସ୍ତାର-ସାଧ୍ୟ ଯଜ୍ଞକର୍ମ ଆରମ୍ଭ କଲେ; ଏବଂ ଉପନିଷଦ (ଆରଣ୍ୟକ) ପରମ୍ପରାରେ କୁହାଯାଇଥିବା ମନ୍ତ୍ରଜପସହିତ ହୋମାଦି କ୍ରିୟାମାନେ ମଧ୍ୟ ସମ୍ପାଦନ କଲେ।

Word by Word

• अथर्ववेदप्रोक्तैः: by those stated in the Atharvaveda
• अथर्ववेदप्रोक्तैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अथर्ववेद-प्रोक्त
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• याः: which
• याः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• उपनिषदि: in the Upaniṣad
• उपनिषदि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपनिषद्
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

• क्रियाः: rites/acts
• क्रियाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रिया
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• मन्त्रजप्यसमायुक्ताः: accompanied by mantra-recitation
• मन्त्रजप्यसमायुक्ताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मन्त्र-जप्य-समायुक्त
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• ताः: those (rites)
• ताः: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Plural

• तदा: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

• समवर्तयन्: they carried out/caused to proceed
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+वृत् (समवर्तयति)
• Form: Imperfect, 3, Plural, Parasmaipada

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Duryodhana
• Daityas
• Dānavas
• Pātāla
• Devas
• Bṛhaspati
• Śukrācārya
• Atharvaveda
• Upaniṣad/Āraṇyaka
• Agni (ritual fire)
• Yajña (sacrifice)
• Havana (fire-offering)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how ritual and mantra can be used instrumentally for factional aims; it implicitly contrasts sacred technique with ethical intention—power divorced from dharma becomes a tool of adharma and deepens conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Netherworld Daityas and Dānavas, fearing that Duryodhana’s death would ruin their cause, begin Atharvavedic and Upaniṣadic-style fire rites with mantra-recitation to draw him to their side.