Shloka 22

धर्मरहस्योपदेशः

Dharma-rahasya Instruction: Vows, Truth, and Non-injury

Devanagari script

अज्ञातवासं वसता विराटनगरे तदा | द्रौपद्या: प्रियकामेन केवलं बाहुसंश्रयात्‌

Transliteration

ajñātavāsaṃ vasatā virāṭanagare tadā | draupadyāḥ priyakāmena kevalaṃ bāhusaṃśrayāt ||

Translation

Wika ni Sañjaya: Noong panahong iyon, habang namumuhay nang palihim sa lungsod ng Virāṭa, kumilos siya na tanging sa lakas ng sariling bisig umaasa, udyok ng pagnanais na mapasaya si Draupadī. Ipinapakita ng taludtod ang asal ng mandirigma: personal na pananagutan at tungkuling magtanggol—pinipili ang tuwirang tapang ng katawan kaysa umasa sa iba kapag ang dangal at kapakanan ng minamahal ay nakataya.

Word by Word

• अज्ञातवासम्: the incognito residence (period of living unknown)
• अज्ञातवासम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अज्ञातवास
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• वसता: by (him) dwelling / while dwelling
• वसता: Karana
• Type: Verb
• Root: वस्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• विराटनगरे: in the city of Virāṭa
• विराटनगरे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: विराटनगर
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

• द्रौपद्याः: of Draupadī
• द्रौपद्याः: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रौपदी
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Singular

• प्रियकामेन: by one desiring what is dear (to her) / by a wish to please her
• प्रियकामेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रियकाम
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• केवलम्: only, merely
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: केवल

• बाहुसंश्रयात्: from reliance on (his) arms / from taking refuge in his arms
• बाहुसंश्रयात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाहुसंश्रय
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Draupadī
• Virāṭa (place/kingdom)
• Virāṭanagara (city)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights an ethic of personal valor and responsibility: when protecting dignity and fulfilling one’s duty, one should rely on one’s own disciplined strength and resolve, motivated by righteous affection rather than vanity.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya recalls the time of the Pandavas’ incognito stay in Virāṭa’s city, describing how the hero (implied) acted to satisfy and protect Draupadī, depending solely on his own arm-strength—suggesting direct intervention and martial readiness during concealment.