Mahabharata 3.270.16 — Vana Parva, Adhyaya 270, Shloka 16

अध्याय २७०: प्रहस्त-वधः, धूम्राक्ष-हननं, कुम्भकर्ण-प्रबोधनम्

Chapter 270: Slaying of Prahasta; Defeat of Dhūmrākṣa; Awakening of Kumbhakarṇa

Devanagari script

अथाब्रवीच्चारु मुखं प्रमृज्य धात्रेयिका सारथिमिन्द्रसेनम्‌

Transliteration

athābravīc cāru-mukhaṁ pramṛjya dhātreyikā sārathim indrasenam | indrasena! indrasaṁ parākramiṇām eṣāṁ pañcānāṁ pāṇḍavānām apamānaṁ kṛtvā jayadrathena haṭha-pūrvakaṁ draupadī apahṛtā | paśya, asya rathasya sainikānāṁ ca gamanena ye ’mī nava-mārgā jātaḥ, te yathā-tathaiva santi, na miṭitāḥ; ime ca bhagna-vṛkṣā adyāpi na mṛśyanti ||

Translation

وَیشَمپایَن نے کہا— اپنے حسین چہرے پر بہتے آنسو پونچھ کر دھاتریئیکا نے رتھ بان اندرسین سے کہا— “اندرسین! اِن پانچوں پانڈوؤں—جو اندر کے مانند پرَاکرمی ہیں—کی توہین کر کے جَیدرتھ نے ہٹ دھرمی سے دروپدی کو زبردستی اغوا کیا ہے۔ دیکھو—اس کے رتھ اور سپاہ کے گزرنے سے بنے یہ تازہ نشان ابھی تک واضح ہیں، مٹے نہیں؛ اور یہ ٹوٹے ہوئے درخت بھی ابھی مرجھائے نہیں۔”

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• अब्रवीत्: said/spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), 3, singular, Parasmaipada

• चारु: beautiful
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चारु
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• मुखम्: face
• मुखम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुख
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• प्रमृज्य: having wiped/after wiping
• Type: Verb
• Root: मृज्
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्यय (absolutive/gerund), प्र

• धात्रेयिका: Dhātreyikā (a woman named so)
• धात्रेयिका: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धात्रेयिका
• Form: feminine, nominative, singular

• सारथिम्: charioteer
• सारथिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सारथि
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• इन्द्रसेनम्: Indrasena
• इन्द्रसेनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्रसेन
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Dhātreyikā
• Indrasena
• Jayadratha
• Draupadī
• the five Pāṇḍavas
• Indra
• chariot (ratha)
• soldiers (sainika)
• tracks/new paths (nava-mārga)
• broken trees (bhagna-vṛkṣa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights adharma in two layers: insulting the righteous and forcibly abducting a protected woman. It also underscores moral urgency—wrongdoing leaves discernible traces, and dharma demands timely response to restore honor and justice.

What is happening in the narrative?

Dhātreyikā, weeping, informs the charioteer Indrasena that Jayadratha has abducted Draupadī after insulting the five Pāṇḍavas. She points to fresh tracks and broken, unwithered trees as evidence that the abductors have only just passed and can be pursued.