Shloka 20
Ādi Parva, Adhyāya 186 — Drupada’s Summons and the Pāñcāla Reception
हाहाकृतं तद् धनुषा दृढेन विस्रस्तहाराड़चक्रवालम् । कृष्णानिमित्तं विनिवृत्तकामं राज्ञां तदा मण्डलमार्तमासीत्,उस सुदृढ़ धनुषके झटकेसे जिनके हार, बाजूबंद और कड़े आदि आभूषण दूर जा गिरे थे, वे नरेश उस समय द्रौपदीको पानेकी आशा छोड़कर अत्यन्त व्यथित हो हाहाकार कर उठे
vaiśampāyana uvāca |
hāhākṛtaṃ tad dhanuṣā dṛḍhena visrastahārāṅgadacakravālam |
kṛṣṇānimittaṃ vinivṛttakāmaṃ rājñāṃ tadā maṇḍalam ārtam āsīt ||
Vaiśampāyana disse: Então, o círculo de reis ficou tomado de angústia e irrompeu em lamentos. Sacudidos pela força daquele arco firme, suas grinaldas, braçadeiras e pulseiras escorregaram e caíram; e, tendo Kṛṣṇā (Draupadī) como causa, recuaram do desejo—abandonando a esperança de conquistá-la—e permaneceram aflitos.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how unchecked desire for a prize (here, winning Draupadī) collapses into grief when confronted by superior prowess; it implicitly cautions that status and ornamentation are fragile, while self-restraint and acceptance of outcome are closer to dharma than clinging to frustrated ambition.
During the svayaṃvara contest, the kings are shaken and overwhelmed by the decisive action involving the strong bow; their ornaments slip off in the commotion, and, realizing they cannot obtain Draupadī, they abandon their hopes and cry out in distress.