Shloka 33

Draupadī-apaharaṇa-saṃdeśaḥ

Report of Draupadī’s Abduction and the Pāṇḍavas’ Pursuit

Devanagari script

एवमाशा दृढा तस्य धार्त॑राष्ट्रस्थ दुर्मतेः

Transliteration

evam āśā dṛḍhā tasya dhārtarāṣṭrastha durmateḥ

Translation

Disse Vaiśampāyana: Assim era firme a esperança daquele homem de mente perversa, que havia atado sua sorte aos Dhārtarāṣṭras; sua expectativa endureceu em determinação, apesar do perigo moral do caminho que escolhera.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus, in this manner
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम्
• Form: Avyaya (indeclinable)

• आशा: hope, expectation
• आशा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: आशा
• Form: Feminine, nominative singular

• दृढा: firm, steadfast
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दृढ
• Form: Feminine, nominative singular

• तस्य: of him, his
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, genitive singular

• धार्तराष्ट्रस्य: of Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s son (Duryodhana)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धार्तराष्ट्र
• Form: Masculine, genitive singular

• दुर्मतेः: of the evil-minded one, of the wicked-minded
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्मति
• Form: Masculine/Feminine, genitive singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Dhārtarāṣṭras (party of Dhṛtarāṣṭra)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how hope, when fused with wrong allegiance and distorted judgment, becomes stubborn resolve. It cautions that inner intention (mati) and chosen company (saṅga) shape one’s ethical trajectory, often hardening desire into morally dangerous persistence.

What is happening in the narrative?

The narrator Vaiśampāyana comments on a particular person’s mindset: someone aligned with the Dhārtarāṣṭra faction is described as durmati (ill-judging), and his āśā (hope/expectation) is said to be dṛḍhā (firm). It functions as a narrative aside explaining the firmness of his intention within the ongoing episode.