Shloka 21

द्रौपद्याः भीमसेन-प्रबोधनम्

Draupadī Awakens Bhīmasena

Devanagari script

आकारमभिरक्षन्ती प्रतिज्ञाधर्मसंहिता । दहामानेव रौद्रेण चक्षुषा द्रुपदात्मजा,उस समय वह प्रतिज्ञारूप धर्मसे आबद्ध होनेके कारण अपने स्वरूपको छिपा रही थी; किंतु उसके नेत्र मानो जला रहे हों, इस प्रकार भयंकर हो उठे थे

Transliteration

ākāram abhirakṣantī pratijñā-dharma-saṃhitā | dahāmānā iva raudreṇa cakṣuṣā drupadātmajā ||

Translation

عہد کے دھرم سے بندھی ہوئی دروپد کی بیٹی نے اپنی اصل پہچان چھپائے رکھی؛ مگر غضب سے اس کی آنکھیں ایسی ہیبت ناک ہو اٹھیں گویا جل رہی ہوں۔

Word by Word

आकारम्form, appearance

अभिरक्षन्तीprotecting, guarding (i.e., concealing)

प्रतिज्ञा-धर्म-संहिताbound/held by the duty of a vow

दहामानाburning (as if)

इवas if, like

रौद्रेणwith fierceness, with wrath

चक्षुषाwith (her) eye(s), by (her) gaze

द्रुपद-आत्मजाDrupada's daughter (Draupadī)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Drupadātmajā (Draupadī)

Drupada

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical tension between inner emotion and outer restraint: even when anger flares, one may remain bound by a vow (pratijñā) and uphold dharma through self-control and concealment when circumstances demand it.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes Draupadī during the Pāṇḍavas’ incognito stay: she hides her true identity in accordance with their pledged duty of secrecy, yet her furious, ‘burning’ eyes reveal the intensity of her inner indignation.