Shloka 21
Omens in the Kuru Host and Droṇa’s Recognition of Arjuna (क्लीबवेषधारी पार्थ-परिज्ञानम्)
गीत॑ वा यदि वा नृत्यं वादित्रं वा पृथग्विधम् तत् करिष्यामि भद्र ते सारथ्यं तु कुतो मम,“राजकुमार! आपका कल्याण हो। यदि गाना हो, नृत्य करना हो अथवा विभिन्न प्रकारके बाजे बजाने हों, तो वह कर लूँगी। सारथिका काम मुझसे कैसे हो सकता है?
gītaṁ vā yadi vā nṛtyaṁ vāditraṁ vā pṛthagvidham | tat kariṣyāmi bhadra te sārathyaṁ tu kuto mama ||
“O prince, may you be well. If it is singing, or dancing, or playing instruments of various kinds—those I can do. But how could the work of a charioteer possibly be mine?”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights dharma as fitness for one’s role: one should undertake tasks aligned with one’s training and station, speaking truthfully and respectfully about one’s capacities rather than claiming competence where it is lacking.
In the Virāṭa court context, a speaker addresses a prince and offers to perform refined arts—singing, dancing, and instrumental music—but declines charioteering, implying that such martial-technical service is not appropriate or not within her professed skill.