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 ||
Kaṇva said: “Come then—first carry just this one arm of mine, the right arm. If you can bear even this alone, then your boastful self-praise may be counted as truly fulfilled.”
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.