Shloka 8
Role-Allocation in Virāṭa’s Court: Nakula, Sahadeva, and Draupadī’s Concealment
सहदेव उवाच गोसंख्याता भविष्यामि विराटस्य महीपते: । प्रतिषेद्धा च दोग्धा च संख्याने कुशलो गवाम्,सहदेवने कहा--महाराज! मैं राजा विराटके यहाँ गौओंकी गिनती--जाँच-पड़ताल करनेवाला गो-शालाध्यक्ष होकर रहूँगा। मैं गौओंको नियन्त्रणमें रखने और दुहनेका काम अच्छी तरह जानता हूँ। उन्हें गिनने और उनकी परख-पहचानके काममें भी कुशल हूँ
sahadeva uvāca: gosaṅkhyātā bhaviṣyāmi virāṭasya mahīpateḥ | pratiṣeddhā ca dogdhā ca saṅkhyāne kuśalo gavām ||
Sahadeva said: “I shall serve King Virāṭa as the keeper who counts and audits the cattle. I am skilled at restraining the herd and at milking; and I am proficient in numbering the cows and recognizing them accurately.”
सहदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
Dharma in adversity: Sahadeva accepts a humble, practical duty and emphasizes competence and self-control. The verse highlights that righteous conduct includes honest service and mastery of one’s work, even when one’s true status must be concealed.
During the Pandavas’ incognito year, Sahadeva declares the role he will assume in King Virāṭa’s household: he will manage the cattle by counting, identifying, restraining, and milking them—skills that help the brothers remain hidden while sustaining themselves through service.