Shloka 50

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

Devanagari script

शिखण्डिनि हते यक्षा: स्वं रूप॑ प्रतिपत्स्यते । स्थूणो यक्षो निरुद्वेगो भवत्विति महामना:

Transliteration

śikhaṇḍini hate yakṣāḥ svaṁ rūpaṁ pratipatsyate | sthūṇo yakṣo nirudvego bhavatv iti mahāmanāḥ ||

Translation

మహామనస్కుడైన యక్షరాజు ఇలా అన్నాడు—“శిఖండీ హతుడైనప్పుడు ఈ స్థూణాకర్ణ యక్షుడు తన పూర్వరూపాన్ని తిరిగి పొందుతాడు; కాబట్టి స్థూణ యక్షుడు ఇక భయమూ కలవరమూ లేకుండుగాక.”

Word by Word

• शिखण्डिनि: in/when (it is) Shikhaṇḍin
• शिखण्डिनि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिखण्डिन्
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• हते: when slain
• हते: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन्
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• यक्षः: the Yakṣa
• यक्षः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: यक्ष
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• स्वम्: his own
• स्वम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• रूपम्: form
• रूपम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• प्रतिपत्स्यते: will regain/attain
• प्रतिपत्स्यते: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति + पद्
• Form: Future, 3rd, Singular, Ātmanepada

• स्थूणः: Sthūṇa (proper name)
• स्थूणः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थूण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• यक्षः: the Yakṣa
• यक्षः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: यक्ष
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• निरुद्वेगः: free from anxiety/fearless
• निरुद्वेगः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निरुद्वेग
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भवतु: let (him) be
• भवतु: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Imperative, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• इति: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

• महामनाः: the great-souled one
• महामनाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महामनस्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Śikhaṇḍin
• Yakṣas
• Sthūṇa (Yakṣa)
• Kubera (Yakṣarāja)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The passage emphasizes reassurance grounded in a promised outcome: fear and agitation should be relinquished when a just resolution is assured. Ethically, it highlights the power of truthful assurance and the restoration of rightful identity (sva-rūpa) after a destined event.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma recounts that Kubera declares a condition: once Śikhaṇḍin is killed, the Yakṣa will recover his original form. Kubera then departs with his swift-moving attendants, having comforted the Yakṣa Sthūṇa and the gathered Yakṣas.