Previous Verse
Next Verse

Shloka 4

अध्याय ३३ — कर्म, दैव, हठ, स्वभाव और पुरुषार्थ पर द्रौपदी का उपदेश

Draupadī on Action, Fate, and Human Effort

गोमायुनेव सिंहानां दुर्बलेन बलीयसाम्‌ । आमिषं विघसाशेन तद्वद्‌ राज्यं हि नो हृतम्‌,“बचे हुए अन्नको खानेवाले दुर्बल गीदड़ जैसे अत्यन्त बलिष्ठ सिंहोंका भोजन हर लें, उसी प्रकार शत्रुओंने हमारे राज्यका अपहरण किया है

gomāyunā iva siṁhānāṁ durbalena balīyasām | āmiṣaṁ vighasāśena tadvat rājyaṁ hi no hṛtam ||

“Như con chó rừng yếu ớt, sống bằng đồ thừa, lại có thể giật lấy miếng thịt vốn dành cho những sư tử hùng mạnh—cũng vậy, kẻ thù đã cướp mất vương quốc của chúng ta.”

गोमायुनाby a jackal
गोमायुना:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootगोमायु
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Singular
इवas/like
इव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइव
सिंहानाम्of lions
सिंहानाम्:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootसिंह
FormMasculine, Genitive, Plural
दुर्बलेनby a weak (one)
दुर्बलेन:
Karana
TypeAdjective
Rootदुर्बल
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Singular
बलीयसाम्of the stronger (ones)
बलीयसाम्:
Adhikarana
TypeAdjective
Rootबलिन् (comparative: बलीयस्)
FormMasculine, Genitive, Plural
आमिषम्meat; prey; food
आमिषम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootआमिष
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
विघसाशेनby one who eats leftovers (a scavenger)
विघसाशेन:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootविघसाश
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Singular
तद्वत्so; in the same way
तद्वत्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतद्वत्
राज्यम्kingdom
राज्यम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootराज्य
FormNeuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular
हिindeed/for
हि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि
नःof us/our
नः:
Adhikarana
TypePronoun
Rootअस्मद्
FormGenitive, Plural
हृतम्taken away; stolen
हृतम्:
TypeVerb
Rootहृ (√हृ)
Formक्त (past passive participle), Neuter, Nominative, Singular

वैशम्पायन उवाच

V
Vaiśampāyana
G
gomāyu (jackal)
S
siṁha (lions)
R
rājya (kingdom)

Educational Q&A

The verse highlights an ethical reversal: when dharma is eclipsed, the unworthy can dispossess the worthy through cunning and opportunism. It condemns illegitimate seizure of power and evokes the pain of rightful rulers being deprived.

Vaiśampāyana uses a vivid simile— a weak jackal taking the lions’ meat— to describe how the enemies have taken ‘our kingdom,’ emphasizing the humiliating and unjust nature of the usurpation.