Shloka 20

द्रौपदी-स्वयंवर-प्रारम्भः

Commencement of Draupadī’s Svayaṃvara

Devanagari script

तस्य भावं विदित्वा स नृपते: कुरुसत्तम । विश्वामित्रस्ततो रक्ष आदिदेश नृपं प्रति,कुरुश्रेष्ठ॒ राजाके मनोभावको समझकर उक्त विश्वामित्रजीने एक राक्षसको राजाके भीतर प्रवेश करनेके लिये आज्ञा दी

Transliteration

tasya bhāvaṁ viditvā sa nṛpateḥ kurusattama | viśvāmitras tato rakṣa ādideśa nṛpaṁ prati ||

Translation

洞悉国王内心的意图后，哦，俱卢中最卓越者，毗湿瓦密多便命一名罗刹前去，接近国王并进入其身。

Word by Word

तस्यof him/that

भावम्state/intent, disposition

विदित्वाhaving known

सःhe

नृपतेःof the king

कुरुसत्तमO best of the Kurus

विश्वामित्रःViśvāmitra

ततःthen/thereupon

रक्षम्a demon (rakṣas)

आदिदेशcommanded/ordered

नृपम्the king

प्रतिtowards/against, with regard to

Speaker

गन्धर्व उवाच

Characters & Entities

Viśvāmitra

rākṣasa (rakṣa)

king (nṛpa/nṛpati)

Kuru (as lineage in the address kurusattama)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights that inner intention (bhāva) matters: when a ruler’s mind is swayed by hidden motives, it becomes a point of vulnerability, inviting external tests and moral consequences. Ethical governance requires clarity of purpose and restraint, not merely outward authority.

What is happening in the narrative?

After discerning the king’s mental disposition, Viśvāmitra issues an order for a rākṣasa to go toward the king and enter his presence—setting in motion a confrontation or test directed at the king’s conduct and intentions.