Shloka 22

आदि पर्व — द्रौपदी-स्वयंवरानन्तरवृत्तम्

Aftermath of Draupadī’s Svayaṃvara

Devanagari script

उलूक: कैतवो राजा चित्राड्भदशुभाड़दौ । वत्सराजश्न मतिमान्‌ कोसलाधिपतिस्तथा,भगीरथवंशी बृहत्क्षत्र, सिन्धुराज जयद्रथ, बृहद्रथ, बाह्नलीक, महारथी श्रुतायु, उलूक, राजा कैतव, चित्रांगद, शुभांगद, बुद्धिमान्‌ वत्सराज, कोसलनरेश, पराक्रमी शिशुपाल तथा जरासंध--ये तथा और भी अनेक जनपदोंके शासक भूमण्डलमें विख्यात बहुत-से क्षत्रिय वीर तुम्हारे लिये यहाँ पधारे हैं। भद्रे! ये पराक्रमी नरेश तुम्हें पानेके उद्देश्यसे इस उत्तम लक्ष्यका भेदन करेंगे। शुभे! जो इस निशानेको वेध डाले, उसीका आज तुम वरण करना

Transliteration

ulūkaḥ kaitavo rājā citrāṅgadaśubhāṅgadau | vatsarājaś ca matimān kosalādhipatis tathā bhagīrathavaṃśī bṛhatkṣatraḥ sindhurājo jayadrathaḥ bṛhadrathaḥ bāhlīkaḥ mahārathī śrutāyuḥ | ulūkaḥ rājā kaitavaḥ citrāṅgadaḥ śubhāṅgadaḥ buddhimān vatsarājaḥ kosalanareśaḥ parākramaś ca śiśupālas tathā jarāsandhaḥ—ye tathā anye'pi aneke janapadānāṃ śāsakā bhūmaṇḍale vikhyātā bahavaḥ kṣatriyavīrās tava kṛte iha samāgatāḥ | bhadre ete parākramiṇo nṛpās tvāṃ prāptum uddiśya asya uttamasya lakṣyasya bhedanaṃ kariṣyanti | śubhe yo'yaṃ niśānaṃ vidhyati sa eva adya tvayā varaṇīyaḥ ||

Translation

ధృష్టద్యుమ్నుడు పలికెను—ఉలూకుడు, కైతవ రాజు, చిత్రాంగదుడు, శుభాంగదుడు; బుద్ధిమంతుడైన వత్సరాజు మరియు కోసలాధిపతి కూడా ఇక్కడికి వచ్చారు.

Word by Word

उलूकःUlūka (a king/person named Ulūka)

कैतवःKaitava (a king/person named Kaitava)

राजाking

चित्राङ्गदःCitrāṅgada (name; 'having variegated armlets')

शुभाङ्गदःŚubhāṅgada (name; 'having auspicious armlets')

उदौand also / moreover (textual; uncertain reading)

वत्सराजःking of Vatsa

मतिमान्intelligent, wise

कोसलाधिपतिःlord of Kosala

तथाalso, likewise

भगीरथवंशीdescendant of Bhagiratha's lineage

बृहत्क्षत्रःBṛhatkṣatra (name; 'of great dominion')

सिन्धुराजःking of Sindhu

जयद्रथःJayadratha (name)

बृहद्रथःBṛhadratha (name)

बाह्लीकःBāhlīka (name; king of Bāhlīka region)

महारथीgreat chariot-warrior

श्रुतायुःŚrutāyu (name)

उलूकःUlūka (repeated in the given text)

राजाking

कैतवःKaitava (repeated in the given text)

चित्राङ्गदःCitrāṅgada (repeated)

शुभाङ्गदःŚubhāṅgada (repeated)

बुद्धिमान्intelligent

वत्सराजःking of Vatsa (repeated)

कोसलनरेशःking of Kosala

पराक्रमीvaliant, mighty

शिशुपालःŚiśupāla (name)

तथाand also

जरासन्धःJarāsandha (name)

येwho, those who

तथाalso

अन्येothers

अपिalso, even

अनेकाःmany

जनपदानाम्of the kingdoms/regions

शासकाःrulers

भूमण्डलेon the earth, in the world

विख्याताःrenowned

बहवःmany

क्षत्रियवीराःKshatriya heroes

तुभ्यम्for you

इहhere

आगताःhave come, arrived

भद्रेO auspicious lady

येthese who

पराक्रमिणःvaliant

नरेशाःkings

त्वाम्you

प्राप्तुम्to obtain

उद्दिश्यaiming at, intending

अस्यof this

उत्तमलक्ष्यस्यof the excellent target

भेदनम्piercing, hitting

करिष्यन्तिthey will do

शुभेO fair/auspicious one

यःwho

एतत्this

निशानम्mark, target

वेधयेत्should pierce / hits

सःhe

एवindeed, only

अद्यtoday

त्वयाby you

वरणीयःto be chosen

Speaker

धृष्टह्युम्न उवाच

Characters & Entities

Dhṛṣṭadyumna

Ulūka

Kaitava

Citrāṅgada

Śubhāṅgada

Vatsarāja (King of Vatsa)

Kosalādhipati (King of Kosala)

Bhagīratha (as ancestor reference)

Bṛhatkṣatra

Sindhu (kingdom)

Jayadratha

Bṛhadratha

Bāhlīka

Śrutāyu

Śiśupāla

Jarāsandha

janapadas (realms/provinces)

lakṣya/niśāna (the target)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The passage highlights a kṣatriya-coded ideal of merit proved through public prowess: a bride’s choice is tied to demonstrated capability (piercing the target), reflecting how marriage could function as a political-ethical test of worth and reputation among rulers.

What is happening in the narrative?

Dhṛṣṭadyumna announces the arrival of many famed kings who have come seeking the bride and explains the rule of the contest: each will attempt to pierce the set target, and the one who succeeds is to be chosen as husband that day.