Shloka 16
Role-Allocation in Virāṭa’s Court: Nakula, Sahadeva, and Draupadī’s Concealment
सुकुमारी च बाला च राजपुत्री यशस्विनी । पतिव्रता महाभागा कथं नु विचरिष्यति,इसका शरीर अत्यन्त सुकुमार है। इसकी अवस्था नयी है। यह यशस्विनी राजकुमारी परम सौभाग्यवती तथा पतिव्रता है। भला, यह विराटनगरमें किस प्रकार रहेगी?
sukumārī ca bālā ca rājaputrī yaśasvinī | pativratā mahābhāgā kathaṃ nu vicarīṣyati ||
坚战说道：“她体态娇柔，年岁尚幼——又是声名远播的公主。她守夫妇之贞，福分深厚。如此，她怎能在毗罗吒城中安身行走？”
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a dharmic concern for safeguarding those who are vulnerable: youth, delicacy, and social position can increase risk, so responsible leaders must anticipate dangers and arrange protection without compromising moral integrity.
As the Pāṇḍavas plan their incognito stay during the final year of exile, Yudhiṣṭhira worries about how their famed princess-wife—young, delicate, and devoted—can safely reside in Virāṭa’s city without attracting attention or harm.