Shloka 16
उत्तरो भयविषण्णः — बृहन्नडेन धैर्योपदेशः
Uttara’s Panic and Bṛhannadā’s Stabilizing Counsel
योडसौ बृहद्वारणाभो युवा सुप्रियदर्शन: । बृहन्नलेति विख्यात: पार्थस्यासीत्ू स सारथि:,“राजकुमार! यह जो विशाल गजराजके समान हृष्ट-पुष्ट, तरुण, सुन्दर और देखनेमें अत्यन्त प्रिय “बृहन्नला” नामसे विख्यात नर्तक है, पहले कुन्तीपुत्र अर्जुनका सारथि था
yo 'sau bṛhad-vāraṇābho yuvā supriya-darśanaḥ | bṛhannaleti vikhyātaḥ pārthasyāsīt sa sārathiḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana sagte: „O Prinz, dieser junge Mann—kräftig und mächtig wie ein großer Elefant, schön und überaus angenehm anzusehen—der unter dem Namen ‚Bṛhannalā‘ (als Tänzer) berühmt ist, war einst der Wagenlenker Pārthas (Arjunas).“
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how outward roles and appearances can conceal prior identity and capability; dharma may require adaptive service and humility, where a person of great strength can accept a subordinate role without losing inner worth.
Vaiśampāyana identifies the person known in Virāṭa’s setting as ‘Bṛhannalā’ and reveals his earlier association with Arjuna (Pārtha), stating that he had previously served as Arjuna’s charioteer.