Shloka 26

द्रौपदी-स्वयंवर-प्रारम्भः

Commencement of Draupadī’s Svayaṃvara

Devanagari script

निवृत्त: प्रतिदास्यामि भोजन ते यथेप्सितम्‌ । इत्युक्त्वा प्रययौ राजा तस्थौ च द्विजसत्तम:,“मैं वनसे लौटनेपर आपको यशथेष्ट भोजन दूँगा।। यह कहकर राजा चले गये और वह ब्राह्मण (वहाँ) ठहर गया

Transliteration

nivṛttaḥ pratidāsyāmi bhojanaṃ te yathepsitam | ity uktvā prayayau rājā tasthau ca dvijasattamaḥ ||

Translation

“నేను తిరిగి వచ్చిన తరువాత నీకు నీవు కోరినట్లే భోజనం ఇస్తాను.” అని చెప్పి రాజు వెళ్లిపోయెను; ఆ బ్రాహ్మణశ్రేష్ఠుడు అక్కడే నిలిచెను.

Word by Word

निवृत्तःhaving returned

प्रतिदास्यामिI will give (in return)

भोजनम्food, meal

तेto you

यथाas, according to

ईप्सितम्desired, wished-for

इतिthus

उक्त्वाhaving said

प्रययौwent forth, departed

राजाthe king

तस्थौstood, remained

चand

द्विजसत्तमःthe best of Brahmins

Speaker

गन्धर्व उवाच

Characters & Entities

rājā (king)

dvijasattamaḥ (eminent Brahmin)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores dharma through promise-keeping and hospitality: a king is expected to honor and provide for a guest—especially a Brahmin—while the guest maintains patience and decorum, trusting the pledged word.

What is happening in the narrative?

The king tells the Brahmin that he will provide a desired meal upon returning from the forest; then the king leaves, and the Brahmin stays behind, waiting where he is.