Shloka 7
बृहन्नडाप्रवेशः — Bṛhannadā’s Entry into Virāṭa’s Assembly
विराट उवाच त्वं ब्राह्मणो यदि वा क्षत्रियोडसि समुद्रनेमी श्वररूपवानसि । आचक्ष्व मे तत्त्वममित्रकर्शन न वैश्यकर्म त्वयि विद्यते क्षमम्,विराटने कहा--शत्रुतापन! मुझे तो ऐसा लगता है कि तुम ब्राह्मण अथवा क्षत्रिय हो। समुद्रसे घिरी हुई समूची पृथ्वीके सम्राट्की भाँति तुम्हारा भव्य रूप है; अत: मुझे अपना ठीक-ठीक परिचय दो। यह वैश्य कर्म (गोपालन) तुम्हारे योग्य नहीं है
virāṭa uvāca — tvaṃ brāhmaṇo yadi vā kṣatriyo ’si samudranemīśvararūpavān asi | ācakṣva me tattvam amitrakarśana na vaiśyakarma tvayi vidyate kṣamam ||
Dijo Virāṭa: «Seas brāhmaṇa o kṣatriya, pareces un soberano cuyo reino está ceñido por el océano: tu porte es verdaderamente regio. Por eso, oh domador de enemigos, dime tu identidad real. Esta labor propia de un vaiśya —el pastoreo del ganado— no parece adecuada para ti».
विराट उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the dharmic intuition that one’s outward conduct (karma) should align with one’s evident capacity and station (varna/role). Virāṭa reads nobility and martial competence in the stranger’s bearing and therefore doubts the suitability of pastoral vaiśya-work for him, urging truthful self-disclosure.
King Virāṭa addresses a disguised figure serving in his domain and, noticing a majestic, ruler-like presence, suspects he is not truly a cattle-tender. He presses him to reveal his real identity, calling him “subduer of foes” and implying a brāhmaṇa or kṣatriya background.