Shloka 17

द्रौपदी-भीमसेनसंवादः

Draupadī–Bhīmasena Dialogue on Suffering, Kāla, and Daiva

Devanagari script

यस्य ज्याक्षेपकठिनौ बाहू परिघसंनिभौ । स शड्खपरिपूर्णाभ्यां शोचन्नास्ते धनंजय:

Transliteration

yasya jyākṣepa-kaṭhinau bāhū parigha-sannibhau | sa śaṅkha-paripūrṇābhyāṃ śocann āste dhanaṃjayaḥ ||

Translation

వైశంపాయనుడు పలికెను—ధనుస్సు తాడును లాగి లాగి కఠినమై గదల వంటి భుజాలు కలిగిన ధనంజయుడు, ఇప్పుడు శంఖపు గాజులతో నిండిన చేతులతో శోకిస్తూ కూర్చున్నాడు।

Word by Word

यस्यof whom/whose

ज्याक्षेपकठिनौhardened by the act of drawing the bowstring

बाहूtwo arms

परिघसंनिभौresembling iron bars/clubs

सःhe

शङ्खपरिपूर्णाभ्याम्with (his) two (eyes) filled with tears

शोचन्lamenting/grieving

आस्तेsits/remains

धनंजयःDhanañjaya (Arjuna)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Dhanañjaya (Arjuna)

bowstring (jyā)

conch-shell bangles/ornaments (śaṅkha)

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 verse highlights that physical prowess and a warrior’s training do not eliminate human vulnerability. Ethical life often requires restraint and endurance; even a mighty hero may grieve when duty demands concealment, patience, or the postponement of rightful action.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes Arjuna (Dhanañjaya) in a subdued state: though his arms are famed for the hard labor of drawing the bow, he is seated in sorrow, his hands adorned/occupied with conch-shell ornaments—suggesting a context of altered appearance and constrained conduct during the Virāṭa-period concealment.