Shloka 8
Draupadī’s Exhortation on Rājadharma and Daṇḍa (द्रौपद्याः राजधर्मोपदेशः)
कथं द्वैतवने राजन् पूर्वमुक्त्वा तथा वच: । भ्रातृनेतान् सम सहितान् शीतवातातपार्दितान्
kathaṃ dvaitavane rājan pūrvam uktvā tathā vacaḥ | bhrātṝn etān samāṃ sahitān śītavātātapārditān |
毗舍波耶那说：“大王啊，你先前在德瓦伊塔瓦那林中曾说过那样的话——当这些兄弟与你同心同苦，受寒风烈日所逼——如今却为何说出足以折断他们志气之言？当年困厄之时，正是你亲自勉励他们：‘诸位勇弟，能摧伏仇敌者！我等求胜于战场，必斩杜尔约陀那，使敌方车战之士失其战车，诛戮巨象，并以战车与骑兵布满大地；继而夺得全土，享受其圆满富饶。那时以丰厚布施与资具充盈的祭祀敬奉主宰，使林居流放之苦转为安乐。’既曾以希望与合乎法的志业坚固其心，今何以反而动摇之？”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Consistency in leadership and speech is a dharmic duty: one who has strengthened others with hope and righteous purpose should not later weaken them through discouraging words, especially when companions are already burdened by hardship.
Vaiśampāyana recalls how, in the Dvaita forest during exile, the king had earlier encouraged his brothers while they suffered the extremes of nature; he now questions why the same person is speaking in a way that breaks their hearts and resolve.