Shloka 8
Draupadī’s Exhortation on Rājadharma and Daṇḍa (द्रौपद्याः राजधर्मोपदेशः)
कथं द्वैतवने राजन् पूर्वमुक्त्वा तथा वच: । भ्रातृनेतान् सम सहितान् शीतवातातपार्दितान्
kathaṃ dvaitavane rājan pūrvam uktvā tathā vacaḥ | bhrātṝn etān samāṃ sahitān śītavātātapārditān |
وَیشَمپایَن نے کہا—اے راجن! دْوَیتَوَن میں جب یہ بھائی تمہارے ساتھ مل کر سردی، ہوا اور دھوپ کی اذیتیں جھیل رہے تھے، تب تم نے پہلے انہی سے ایسے کلمات کہے تھے؛ پھر آج تم ایسی بات کیسے کہتے ہو جو ان کے حوصلے توڑ دے؟
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Consistency in leadership and speech is a dharmic duty: one who has strengthened others with hope and righteous purpose should not later weaken them through discouraging words, especially when companions are already burdened by hardship.
Vaiśampāyana recalls how, in the Dvaita forest during exile, the king had earlier encouraged his brothers while they suffered the extremes of nature; he now questions why the same person is speaking in a way that breaks their hearts and resolve.