ते क्षत्रिया रङ्गगताः समेता; जिगीषमाणा द्रुपदात्मजां ताम् ॥
चकाशिरे पर्वतराजकन्याम्; उमां यथा देवगणाः समेताः ॥
कन्दर्पबाणाभिनिपीडिताङ्गाः; कृष्णागतैस् ते हृदयैर् नरेन्द्राः ॥
रङ्गावतीर्णा द्रुपदात्मजार्थं; द्वेष्यान् हि चक्रुः सुहृदो ऽपि तत्र ॥
te kṣatriyā raṅgagatāḥ sametā; jigīṣamāṇā drupadātmajāṃ tām ||
cakāśire parvatarājakanyām; umāṃ yathā devagaṇāḥ sametāḥ ||
kandarpabāṇābhinipīḍitāṅgāḥ; kṛṣṇāgatais te hṛdayair narendrāḥ ||
raṅgāvatīrṇā drupadātmajārthaṃ; dveṣyān hi cakruḥ suhṛdo 'pi tatra ||
"Those kshatriyas, having come down to the arena, eager to win Drupada's daughter, shone like hosts of gods gathered around Uma, daughter of the mountain king. Their bodies tormented by the arrows of Kama, their hearts gone out to Krishna, having descended to the arena for the sake of Drupada's daughter, they turned even their friends into rivals."
244211c29ce4 · published Jul 12, 2026, 5:37:22 PM UTC
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Here passion turns friends into enemies. It is telling that desire for a single maiden set old friends at odds: where there is rivalry for possession, affection collapses. Here the destructive nature of desire is laid bare: it sows discord even among the close, for each wants the desired thing for himself alone. Thus the scripture shows how passion for a maiden turns to hatred between men; and the assembly of suitors, splendid to look at, is eaten away within by envy.