Drupada Questions His Queen

Verse 1 (5.190.1)

एवमुक्तस्य दूतेन द्रुपदस्य तदा नृप । चोरस्येव गृहीतस्य न प्रावर्तत भारती ॥

evamuktasya dūtena drupadasya tadā nṛpa | corasyeva gṛhītasya na prāvartata bhāratī

When the messenger had spoken thus, king, Drupada could find no words, like a thief caught in the act.

Verse 2 (5.190.2)

स यत्नमकरोत्तीव्रं संबन्धिन्यनुमानने । दूतैर्मधुरसंभाषैर्न तदस्तीति संदिशन् ॥

sa yatnamakarottīvraṃ saṃbandhinyanumānane | dūtairmadhurasaṃbhāṣairna tadastīti saṃdiśan

He made great efforts to placate his kinsman, sending messengers with sweet words to say that it was not so.

Note on the text: Corrected संबन्धिन्युनुमानने → संबन्धिन्यनुमानने (misprint in Wikisource; stray u-sign, "in conciliating his kinsman"; the critical edition reads differently, saṃbandhair anusāntvanaiḥ).

Verse 3 (5.190.3)

स राजा भूय एवाथ ज्ञात्वा तत्त्वमथागमत् । कन्येति पाञ्चालसुतां त्वरमाणो विनिर्ययौ ॥

sa rājā bhūya evātha jñātvā tattvamathāgamat | kanyeti pāñcālasutāṃ tvaramāṇo viniryayau

But the king made sure of the truth once more, that the Panchala's child was a girl, and set out in haste.

Verse 4 (5.190.4)

ततः संप्रेषयामास मित्राणाममितौजसाम् । दुहितुर्विप्रलम्भं तं धात्रीणां वचनात्तदा ॥

tataḥ saṃpreṣayāmāsa mitrāṇāmamitaujasām | duhiturvipralambhaṃ taṃ dhātrīṇāṃ vacanāttadā

Then, on the word of the nurses, he sent news of the deception practised over his daughter to his friends of boundless might.

Note on the text: Corrected संप्रेषकयामास → संप्रेषयामास and मित्रांणाम् → मित्राणाम् (misprints in Wikisource; a stray क and a stray anusvara, critical edition saṃpreṣayām āsa mitrāṇām).

Verse 5 (5.190.5)

ततः समुदयं कृत्वा बलानां राजसत्तमः । अभियाने मतिं चक्रे द्रुपदं प्रति भारत ॥

tataḥ samudayaṃ kṛtvā balānāṃ rājasattamaḥ | abhiyāne matiṃ cakre drupadaṃ prati bhārata

Then, Bharata, that best of kings gathered his forces and resolved to march against Drupada.

Verse 6 (5.190.6)

ततः संमन्त्रयामास मन्त्रिभिः स महीपतिः । हिरण्यवर्मा राजेन्द्र पाञ्चाल्यं पार्थिवं प्रति ॥

tataḥ saṃmantrayāmāsa mantribhiḥ sa mahīpatiḥ | hiraṇyavarmā rājendra pāñcālyaṃ pārthivaṃ prati

Then King Hiranyavarman, king of kings, took counsel with his ministers about the Panchala king.

Verse 7 (5.190.7)

तत्र वै निश्चितं तेषामभूद्राज्ञां महात्मनाम् । तथ्यं भवति चेदेतत्कन्या राजञ्शिखण्डिनी ॥

tatra vai niścitaṃ teṣāmabhūdrājñāṃ mahātmanām | tathyaṃ bhavati cedetatkanyā rājañśikhaṇḍinī

There those great-souled kings reached a firm decision: if it is true, king, that Shikhandini is a girl,

Note on the text: The alignment found no match because the critical edition's 5.191.7 has six quarters; this verse is its 7a–d.

Verse 8 (5.190.8)

बद्ध्वा पाञ्चालराजानमानयिष्यामहे गृहम् । अन्यं राजानमाधाय पाञ्चालेषु नरेश्वरम् ॥

baddhvā pāñcālarājānamānayiṣyāmahe gṛham | anyaṃ rājānamādhāya pāñcāleṣu nareśvaram

we shall bind the Panchala king and bring him to our home, and set up another king as lord over the Panchalas,

Note on the text: Line 1 is the critical edition's 5.191.7ef (Wikisource गृहम् for gṛhān); line 2 is 5.191.8ab.

Verse 9 (5.190.9)

घातयिष्याम नृपतिं पाञ्चालं सशिखण्डिनम् ॥

ghātayiṣyāma nṛpatiṃ pāñcālaṃ saśikhaṇḍinam

and we shall have the Panchala king put to death together with Shikhandi.

Note on the text: A single line, printed by Wikisource as its own verse (row 9a, after the verse-end mark of verse 8); it is the critical edition's 5.191.8cd (Wikisource पाञ्चालं for drupadaṃ). Nothing is lost: verses 7–9 together match 5.191.7–8.

Verse 10 (5.190.10)

स तदा द्रुतमाज्ञाय पुनर्दूतान्नराधिपः । प्रास्थापयत्पार्षताय निहन्मीति स्थिरो भव ॥

sa tadā drutamājñāya punardūtānnarādhipaḥ | prāsthāpayatpārṣatāya nihanmīti sthiro bhava

Then that ruler of men quickly gave his orders and sent messengers once more to the son of Prishata, saying, "I will kill you; stand firm!"

Note on the text: Corrected पार्षतया → पार्षताय (misprint in Wikisource; the dative "to the son of Prishata" is needed, critical edition pārṣatāya). Wikisource reads पुनर्दूतान्नराधिपः and निहन्मीति where the critical edition has punaḥ kṣattāram īśvaraḥ and hanmīti tvāṃ (recension variants).

Verse 11 (5.190.11)

स हि प्रकृत्या वै भीतः किल्बिषी च नराधिपः । भयं तीव्रमनुप्राप्तो द्रुपदः पृथिवीपतिः ॥

sa hi prakṛtyā vai bhītaḥ kilbiṣī ca narādhipaḥ | bhayaṃ tīvramanuprāpto drupadaḥ pṛthivīpatiḥ

King Drupada, ruler of the earth, timid by nature and conscious of his fault, was gripped by sharp fear.

Note on the text: The page prints a second heading भीष्म उवाच before this verse; the narration simply continues.

Verse 12 (5.190.12)

विसृज्य दूतान्दाशार्णे द्रुपदः शोकमूर्च्छितः । समेत्य भार्यां रहिते वाक्यमाह नराधिपः ॥

visṛjya dūtāndāśārṇe drupadaḥ śokamūrcchitaḥ | sametya bhāryāṃ rahite vākyamāha narādhipaḥ

Having sent the messengers back to the Dasharna king, Drupada, stunned with grief, met his wife in private, and that ruler of men spoke to her.

Verse 13 (5.190.13)

भयेन महताऽऽविष्टो हृदि शोकेन चाहतः । पाञ्चालराजो दयितां मातरं वै शिखण्डिनः ॥

bhayena mahatā''viṣṭo hṛdi śokena cāhataḥ | pāñcālarājo dayitāṃ mātaraṃ vai śikhaṇḍinaḥ

Gripped by great fear and stricken at heart with grief, the Panchala king spoke to his beloved, Shikhandi's mother:

Verse 14 (5.190.14)

अभियास्यति मां कोपात्संबन्धी सुमहाबलः । हिरण्यवर्मा नृपतिः कर्षमाणो वरूथिनीम् ॥

abhiyāsyati māṃ kopātsaṃbandhī sumahābalaḥ | hiraṇyavarmā nṛpatiḥ karṣamāṇo varūthinīm

My kinsman, the very mighty King Hiranyavarman, will march against me in his anger, leading his army.

Note on the text: Speaker set to Drupada: his speech to his wife (verses 14–21) has no printed heading, but verses 12–13 introduce it; the input had carried Bhishma over.

Verse 15 (5.190.15)

किमिदानीं करिष्यावो मूढौ कन्यामिमां प्रति । शिखण्डी किल पुत्रस्ते कन्येति परिशङ्कितः ॥

kimidānīṃ kariṣyāvo mūḍhau kanyāmimāṃ prati | śikhaṇḍī kila putraste kanyeti pariśaṅkitaḥ

What are we two to do now about this girl, bewildered as we are? It is suspected that your son Shikhandi is really a girl.

Verse 16 (5.190.16)

इति संचिन्त्य यत्नेन समित्रः सबलानुगः । वञ्चितोऽस्मीति मन्वानो मां किलोद्धर्तुमिच्छति ॥

iti saṃcintya yatnena samitraḥ sabalānugaḥ | vañcito'smīti manvāno māṃ kiloddhartumicchati

Having thought it over carefully, he believes he has been deceived, and with his friends, his army and his followers he means to uproot me, so they say.

Verse 17 (5.190.17)

किमत्र तथ्यं सुश्रोणि मिथ्या किं ब्रूहि शोभने । श्रुत्वा त्वत्तः शुभं वाक्यं संविधास्याम्यहं तथा ॥

kimatra tathyaṃ suśroṇi mithyā kiṃ brūhi śobhane | śrutvā tvattaḥ śubhaṃ vākyaṃ saṃvidhāsyāmyahaṃ tathā

What is true in this, fair-hipped one, and what is false? Tell me, lovely lady. When I have heard a good word from you, I shall act accordingly.

Verse 18 (5.190.18)

अहं हि संशयप्राप्तो बाला चेयं शिखण्डिनी । त्वं च राज्ञि महत्कृच्छ्रं संप्राप्ता वरवर्णिनि ॥

ahaṃ hi saṃśayaprāpto bālā ceyaṃ śikhaṇḍinī | tvaṃ ca rājñi mahatkṛcchraṃ saṃprāptā varavarṇini

For I have fallen into danger, and so has this girl Shikhandini, and you too, my queen, fair-complexioned one, have come into great trouble.

Verse 19 (5.190.19)

सा त्वं सर्वविमोक्षाय तत्त्वमाख्याहि पृच्छतः । तथा विदध्यां सुश्रोणि कृत्यमाशु शुचिस्मिते ॥

sā tvaṃ sarvavimokṣāya tattvamākhyāhi pṛcchataḥ | tathā vidadhyāṃ suśroṇi kṛtyamāśu śucismite

So, for the release of us all, tell me the truth, since I ask you; then, fair-hipped and sweet-smiling one, I shall swiftly do what must be done.

Note on the text: The alignment found no match because the critical edition's 5.191.18 has six quarters; this verse is its 18a–d (Wikisource कृत्यमाशु for kṛtyasyāsya).

Verse 20 (5.190.20)

शिखण्डिनि च मा भैस्त्वं विधास्ये तत्र तत्त्वतः । कृपयाहं वरारोहे वञ्चितः पुत्रधर्मतः ॥

śikhaṇḍini ca mā bhaistvaṃ vidhāsye tatra tattvataḥ | kṛpayāhaṃ varārohe vañcitaḥ putradharmataḥ

As for Shikhandini, have no fear; I shall deal with the matter as the truth requires. Out of tenderness, lovely one, I was misled about treating her as a son,

Note on the text: Line 1 is the critical edition's 5.191.18ef; line 2 is 5.191.19ab (Wikisource कृपया for kriyayā).

Verse 21 (5.190.21)

मया दाशार्णको राजा वञ्चितः स महीपतिः । तदाचक्ष्व महाभागे विधास्ये तत्र यद्धितम् ॥

mayā dāśārṇako rājā vañcitaḥ sa mahīpatiḥ | tadācakṣva mahābhāge vidhāsye tatra yaddhitam

and I in turn have deceived Hiranyavarman, the Dasharna king and ruler of the earth. So tell me, noble lady, and I shall do what is best.

Note on the text: The lines are the critical edition's 5.191.19cd–ef.

Verse 22 (5.190.22)

जानता ह नरेन्द्रेण ख्यापनार्थं परस्य वै । प्रकाशं चोदिता देवी प्रत्युवाच महीपतिम् ॥

jānatā ha narendreṇa khyāpanārthaṃ parasya vai | prakāśaṃ coditā devī pratyuvāca mahīpatim

Although the king knew the truth, he questioned her openly so that it would be made known to others; and the queen, thus urged, answered the king.

Note on the text: Speaker: Bhishma, as the narration resumes. Corrected जनाता → जानता (misprint in Wikisource; misplaced ā sign, critical edition jānatā).