Shloka 20

Drupada’s Alarm and Inquiry Regarding Śikhaṇḍinī (द्रुपदस्य भय-विमर्शः)

Devanagari script

यदुक्त तेन वीरेण राज्ञा काउ्चनवर्मणा । यत्‌ तेडहमधमाचार दुह्ित्रास्म्यभिवज्चित:

Transliteration

yad uktaṃ tena vīreṇa rājñā kāñcanavarmaṇā | yat te 'ham adhamācāra duhitrasmy abhivañcitaḥ, uddhariṣyāmi te sadyaḥ sāmātya-suta-bāndhavam ||

Translation

Disse Bhishma: “Ouve a mensagem enviada por aquele rei heroico, Kāñcanavarman: ‘Ó rei, vil em tua conduta! Fui enganado por meio de tua filha. Esse pecado é teu; portanto, suporta sua consequência. Vem ao campo de batalha e concede-me a chance de lutar. Ainda hoje arrancarei pela raiz toda a tua linhagem—junto com teus ministros, teus filhos e teus parentes.’”

Word by Word

• यत्: what/that which
• यत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• उक्तम्: said/spoken
• उक्तम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: kta (past passive participle), Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• तेन: by him
• तेन: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• वीरेण: by the hero
• वीरेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• राज्ञा: by the king
• राज्ञा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• काञ्चनवर्मणा: by (king) Kāñcanavarman
• काञ्चनवर्मणा: Karana
• Type: ProperNoun
• Root: काञ्चनवर्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• यत्: which/that which
• यत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• ते: to you/for you
• ते: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Dative/Genitive, Singular

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Nominative, Singular

• अधमाचार: O vile-conducted one
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधमाचार
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• दुहित्रा: by (your) daughter
• दुहित्रा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुहितृ
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• अस्मि: am
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस्
• Form: Present (Lat), 1st, Singular

• अभिवञ्चितः: deceived/cheated
• Type: Verb
• Root: वञ्च्
• Form: kta (past passive participle) with abhi-, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उद्धरिष्यामि: I will uproot/tear out
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्-हृ
• Form: Future (Lrt), 1st, Singular

• ते: of you/your
• ते: Sambandha
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Genitive, Singular

• सद्यः: immediately
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सद्यस्

• सामात्यसुतबान्धवम्: together with ministers, sons, and kinsmen
• सामात्यसुतबान्धवम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: स-अमात्य-सुत-बान्धव
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Kāñcanavarman
• a king addressed as 'rājan' (unnamed here)
• the king's daughter (unnamed)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames deception and sexual/political wrongdoing as generating moral culpability and consequences, and it shows a kshatriya-style demand for accountability: the wrongdoer (or the one held responsible) must face the results, here expressed as a challenge to battle and a threat of total destruction.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma reports a hostile message from King Kāñcanavarman to another king. Kāñcanavarman accuses the king of wrongdoing connected with the king’s daughter, claims he has been deceived, and issues an ultimatum: meet him in battle, or he will immediately destroy the king’s entire family line along with ministers, sons, and relatives.