Shloka 4
Ādi Parva, Adhyāya 188 — Draupadī-Vivāha Dharma-Vicāra
Debate on the Legitimacy of One Wife for Five
न हार्हत्येष सम्मान नापि वृद्धक्रमं गुणै: । हन्मैनं सह पुत्रेण दुराचारं नृपद्धिषम्,“यह राजा द्रुपद गुणोंके कारण हमसे वृद्धोचित सम्मान पानेका अधिकारी भी नहीं है; राजाओंसे द्वेष करनेवाले इस दुराचारीको पुत्रसहित हमलोग मार डालें
na hārhatyeṣa sammānaṃ nāpi vṛddhakramaṃ guṇaiḥ | hanmainaṃ saha putreṇa durācāraṃ nṛpadviṣam ||
กษัตริย์ทฺรุปทะผู้นี้ แม้จะอ้างคุณสมบัติใด ๆ ก็หาได้ควรรับเกียรติยศดุจผู้ใหญ่จากเรา หรือได้สิทธิ์นำหน้าตามลำดับอาวุโสไม่ จงประหารคนชั่วผู้เกลียดชังเหล่ากษัตริย์ผู้นี้ พร้อมทั้งบุตรของมันเถิด
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a moral-political judgment: honor and seniority-respect are not automatic but are argued to depend on guṇa (qualities/virtue). When a ruler is deemed durācāra (of wicked conduct) and hostile to rightful kingship, the speakers justify withdrawing respect and even advocate violent punishment—highlighting the tension in epic ethics between kṣatriya duty, honor, and the dangers of anger-driven retribution.
In Vaiśampāyana’s narration, a group speaks about King Drupada with hostility. They claim he is unworthy of elder-like honor or precedence and propose killing him along with his son, portraying an escalation from social disrespect to a call for lethal action within a royal feud.