Shloka 21
सैरन्ध्युवाच बृहन्नले कि नु तव सैरन्ध्र्या कार्यमद्य वै । या त्वं वससि कल्याणि सदा कन्यापुरे सुखम्,सैरन्ध्री बोली--बृहन्नले! अब तुम्हें सैरन्ध्रीसे क्या काम है? कल्याणी! तुम तो मौजसे इन कन्याओंके अन्तःपुरमें रहती हो
sairandhry uvāca bṛhannale ki nu tava sairandhryā kāryam adya vai | yā tvaṁ vasasi kalyāṇi sadā kanyāpure sukham ||
The Sairandhrī said: “O Bṛhannalā, what business do you have with the Sairandhrī today? Auspicious lady, you live comfortably and happily in the maidens’ quarters all the time.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights prudence and social propriety: in a concealed life, one must be careful about associations and appearances. It also reflects awareness of roles within the palace—who belongs where—and the ethical need to avoid actions that could invite suspicion or impropriety.
Sairandhrī addresses Bṛhannalā and questions why she is seeking the Sairandhrī’s attention “today,” noting that Bṛhannalā already lives comfortably in the maidens’ quarters. The exchange underscores the dynamics of the Pandavas’ disguises in Virāṭa’s palace and the caution required to maintain them.