Shloka 20
Adhyaya 11 — Draupadī’s Grief, Demand for Justice, and Bhīma’s Departure
“कल्याणि! द्रोणकुमार तो यहाँसे भागकर दुर्गम वनमें चला गया है। शोभने! यदि उसे युद्धमें मार गिराया जाय तो भी तुम्हें इसका विश्वास कैसे होगा?” ।।
kalyāṇi! droṇakumāraḥ sa ihāto bhāgya durgamaṁ vanam upagataḥ. śobhane! yadi sa yuddhe nihanyeta, tathāpi tasminn asya viśvāsaḥ kathaṁ te bhavet? || draupady uvāca: droṇaputrasya sahajaḥ maṇiḥ śirasi me śrutaḥ. nihatya saṅkhye taṁ pāpaṁ paśyeyaṁ maṇim āhṛtam.
毗湿摩波耶那说道：“吉祥的夫人啊，德罗那之子已从此处逃走，遁入难以进入的险林。佳人啊，即便他在战斗中被击毙，你又如何确信？” 德劳帕蒂答道：“我听说德罗那之子生来头上便有一颗宝珠。若那罪人战死，我要亲见那宝珠被取来此处。”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
In the chaos of war and its aftermath, moral claims and decisions often hinge on verifiable proof. The passage highlights the ethical tension between the desire for retribution and the need for certainty—Draupadī seeks an unmistakable sign (the inborn jewel) rather than relying on mere report.
Vaiśampāyana reports that Droṇa’s son has escaped into a difficult forest, making his fate uncertain. Draupadī responds that she has heard he bears a birth-jewel on his head, and she would accept his death as certain only if that jewel is brought back from the battlefield.