Shloka 6

Śikhaṇḍinī’s Marriage Arrangement and the Daśārṇa Envoy’s Accusation (शिखण्डिनी-विवाह-विप्रलम्भ-प्रसङ्गः)

Devanagari script

सम्बन्धकं चैव समर्थ्य तस्मिन्‌ दाशार्णके वै नृपतौ नरेन्द्र । स्वयं कृत्वा विप्रलम्भं॑ यथाव- न्मन्त्रैकाग्रो निश्चयं वै जगाम,नरेन्द्र! यद्यपि राजा द्रुपदने स्वयं ही वंचना की थी, तथापि दशार्णराजके साथ सम्बन्ध और प्रेम बनाये रखनेकी इच्छा करके एकाग्रचित्तसे मन्त्रणा करते हुए वे एक निश्चयपर पहुँच गये

Transliteration

sambandhakaṃ caiva samarthya tasmin dāśārṇake vai nṛpatau narendra | svayaṃ kṛtvā vipralambhaṃ yathāvan mantrāikāgro niścayaṃ vai jagāma, narendra ||

Translation

王啊，他既决意维系并巩固与那位达沙尔那君主的盟好，虽曾有过欺诳之举，却仍专心致志地筹议，终于作出坚定的决断。

Word by Word

• {'sambandhakaṃ': 'relationship, alliance, connection', 'samarthya': 'having supported/strengthened

• having made workable', 'tasmin': 'in/with that (person/context)', 'dāśārṇake': 'in/with the Daśārṇa (king)

• pertaining to Daśārṇa', 'nṛpatau': 'in the king

• with the ruler', 'narendra': 'O lord of men

• O king (vocative)', 'svayam': 'himself', 'kṛtvā': 'having done', 'vipralambham': 'deception, cheating, betrayal, trickery', 'yathāvat': 'properly, as it should be, in due manner', 'mantrāikāgraḥ': 'single-pointed in counsel

• focused in deliberation', 'niścayam': 'a firm resolve, decision, determination', 'jagāma': 'went to

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Daśārṇa (kingdom/region)
• Daśārṇa-nṛpati (the Daśārṇa king)
• Drupada

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the ethical tension between past wrongdoing and present political necessity: even after committing deception, a ruler may seek to stabilize alliances through focused counsel and firm resolve—inviting reflection on how dharma, expediency, and accountability interact in royal decision-making.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma describes a king who, aiming to preserve affection and ties with the Daśārṇa ruler, deliberates intently and reaches a definite decision, despite the background fact that he had earlier deceived King Drupada.