Shloka 27
Drupada’s Alarm and Inquiry Regarding Śikhaṇḍinī (द्रुपदस्य भय-विमर्शः)
आगम: क्रियतां व्यक्त: कुमारोडयं सुतो मम । मिथ्यैतदुक्तं केनापि तदश्रद्धेयमित्युत
āgamaḥ kriyatāṁ vyaktaḥ kumāro ’yaṁ suto mama | mithyaitad uktaṁ kenāpi tad aśraddheyam ity uta ||
“Wahai Raja, datanglah dan periksalah dengan jelas. Ini putraku, seorang pemuda—bukan seorang gadis. Ada orang yang berkata dusta, menyebutnya perempuan; kabar itu tak layak dipercaya.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhīṣma emphasizes ethical discernment: do not accept hearsay as truth. A responsible ruler should seek direct verification (pratyakṣa/parīkṣā) before forming judgments that affect honor, lineage, or political decisions.
Bhīṣma addresses a king and challenges a circulating claim about his child’s gender. He invites the king to come and examine the matter openly, asserting that the report of the child being a girl is a falsehood and should not be trusted.