Shloka 23
Adhyaya 11 — Draupadī’s Grief, Demand for Justice, and Bhīma’s Departure
इत्युक्त्वा पाण्डवं कृष्णा राजानं चारुदर्शना
ity uktvā pāṇḍavaṁ kṛṣṇā rājānaṁ cārudarśanā | jahi taṁ pāpakarmāṇaṁ śambaraṁ maghavān iva || nahi te vikrame tulyaḥ pumān astīha kaścana ||
इत्युक्त्वा पाण्डवं कृष्णा राजानं चारुदर्शना । जहि तं पापकर्माणं शम्बरं मघवानिव ॥ नहि ते विक्रमे तुल्यः पुमानस्तीह कश्चन ॥
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical demand that grave wrongdoing be met with decisive justice, invoking a heroic precedent (Indra vs. Śambara) to strengthen the king’s resolve and to frame punishment of adharma as a ruler’s duty.
Draupadī addresses the Pāṇḍava king and exhorts him to kill the sinful offender (understood in context as Aśvatthāmā), comparing the act to Indra’s slaying of the demon Śambara and praising the king’s unmatched valor.