Shloka 19
Adhyaya 11 — Draupadī’s Grief, Demand for Justice, and Bhīma’s Departure
स कल्याणि बन दुर्ग दूरं द्रौणिरितो गत: । तस्य त्वं पातनं संख्ये कथं ज्ञास्यसि शोभने
sā kalyāṇi vana-durga-dūraṃ drauṇir ito gataḥ | tasya tvaṃ pātanaṃ saṅkhye kathaṃ jñāsyasi śobhane ||
Vaiśampāyana nói: “Hỡi phu nhân cát tường, Drauṇi đã đi xa khỏi cứ địa trong rừng này. Vậy thì, hỡi người đẹp, làm sao nàng có thể biết được sự bại vong của hắn nơi chiến địa?”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the limits of knowledge amid war: when a key actor has moved beyond one’s reach, certainty about outcomes (such as a warrior’s defeat) becomes difficult. It underscores how conflict produces distance, confusion, and unreliable access to truth.
Vaiśampāyana reports that Drauṇi (Aśvatthāmā) has gone far away from the forest stronghold. Addressing a woman respectfully, he questions how she could learn of Drauṇi’s possible downfall in battle when he is no longer nearby or within immediate observation.