Shloka 23
द्रौपदी-स्वयंवर-प्रारम्भः
Commencement of Draupadī’s Svayaṃvara
ततः स नृपतिस्तेन रक्षसान्तर्गतेन वै । बलवत् पीडित: पार्थ नान्यबुध्यत किंचन,कुन्तीनन्दन! भीतर घुसे हुए राक्षससे अत्यन्त पीड़ित हो उन नरेशको किसी भी बातकी सुध-बुध न रही
tataḥ sa nṛpatis tena rakṣasāntargatena vai | balavat pīḍitaḥ pārtha nānyabudhyata kiñcana ||
Bấy giờ vị vua ấy, vì rākṣasa đã nhập vào bên trong, bị hành hạ dữ dội. Hỡi Pārtha, bị nỗi khổ hung bạo ấy áp đảo, nhà vua chẳng còn phân biệt được điều gì nữa.
गन्धर्व उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights that when destructive forces take hold within—symbolized by a rākṣasa entering a person—clarity and moral discernment collapse. For a ruler especially, inner self-control is essential; without it, one cannot recognize what is right or act responsibly.
A king is described as being internally entered/possessed by a rākṣasa and consequently suffering intense torment. Addressing Pārtha (Arjuna), the speaker states that the king, overwhelmed by this affliction, loses all awareness and cannot understand anything.