Shloka 21
Udyoga Parva, Adhyaya 104: Nārada on Suhṛt and Nirbandha; the Viśvāmitra–Gālava Exemplum Begins
इमं तावन्ममैकं त्वं बाहुं सवब्येतरं वह । यद्येनं धारयस्येक॑ सफलं ते विकत्थितम्
imaṃ tāvan mamaikaṃ tvaṃ bāhuṃ savyetaraṃ vaha | yady enaṃ dhārayasy ekaṃ saphalaṃ te vikatthitam ||
قال كانڤا: «فلتكن إذن—احمل أولًا هذا الذراع الواحد من ذراعي، الذراع الأيمن. فإن استطعت أن تتحمّل هذا وحده، عُدَّتْ مفاخرتك بنفسك قد تحقّقت حقًّا.»
कण्व उवाच
Educational Q&A
Boasting is validated only by demonstrated capacity; ethical speech requires restraint, and claims of prowess should be tested by real responsibility rather than mere self-praise.
Kaṇva challenges someone who has been boasting, proposing a concrete test: first bear the weight of his right arm; if the person can manage even that, their earlier bragging can be considered justified.