Shloka 11
Role-Allocation in Virāṭa’s Court: Nakula, Sahadeva, and Draupadī’s Concealment
लक्षणं चरितं चापि गवां यच्चापि मड़लम् । तत् सर्व मे सुविदितमन्यच्चापि महीपते,महीपते! गौओंके जो लक्षण और चरित्र मंगल-कारक होते हैं, वे सब मुझे भलीभाँति मालूम हैं। उनके विषयमें और भी बहुत-सी बातें मैं जानता हूँ। राजन्! इसके सिवा मैं ऐसे प्रशंसनीय लक्षणोंवाले साँड्रोंको भी जानता हूँ, जिनके मूत्रको सूँघ लेनेमात्रसे वन्ध्या स्त्री भी गर्भवती हो सकती है
sahadeva uvāca |
lakṣaṇaṁ caritaṁ cāpi gavāṁ yac cāpi maṅgalam |
tat sarvaṁ me suviditam anyac cāpi mahīpate mahīpate ||
Sahadeva said: “O king, I know well all the auspicious marks and customary traits of cattle—their signs and their conduct. And besides these, I know many other matters too, O lord of the earth.”
सहदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
Competence used in rightful service is a form of dharma: Sahadeva presents specialized, traditional knowledge (recognizing auspicious and practical signs in cattle) as a means to serve the king responsibly.
In the Virāṭa court context, Sahadeva identifies his skill-set: he claims thorough knowledge of cattle—how to read their marks and behavior and what is considered auspicious—thereby indicating his suitability for duties connected with the royal herds.