Shloka 15

Keśinī’s Inquiry to Bāhuka and the Emotional Signs of Concealed Identity (केशिन्याः बाहुकपरीक्षा)

Devanagari script

संख्यास्थामि फलान्यस्य पश्यतस्ते जनाधिप । मुहूर्तमपि वार्ष्णेयो रश्मीन्‌ यच्छतु वाजिनाम्‌,'जनेश्वर! यदि वारष्णेय दो घड़ीतक भी इन घोड़ोंकी लगाम सँभाले तो मैं आपके देखते-देखते इसके फलोंको गिन लूँगा”

Transliteration

saṅkhyāsthāmi phalāny asya paśyatas te janādhipa | muhūrtam api vārṣṇeyo raśmīn yacchatu vājinām ||

Translation

ಜನಾಧಿಪಾ! ನೀವು ನೋಡುತ್ತಿರುವಾಗಲೇ ನಾನು ಇದರ ಫಲಗಳನ್ನು ಎಣಿಸುತ್ತೇನೆ; ವಾರ್ಷ್ಣೇಯನು ಒಂದು ಮುಹೂರ್ತವಾದರೂ ಕುದುರೆಗಳ ಕಗ್ಗಂಟನ್ನು ಹಿಡಿದುಕೊಳ್ಳಲಿ.

Word by Word

saṅkhyāsthāmiI will count

phalānifruits/results

asyaof this (one)

paśyataḥwhile (you are) watching / of you who are watching

teof you / your

janādhipaO lord of people (king)

muhūrtamfor a moment

apieven

vārṣṇeyaḥthe Vārṣṇeya (Krishna)

raśmīnreins

yacchatulet him hold/keep

vājināmof the horses

Speaker

बृहदश्च उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bṛhadaśva

janādhipa (the king addressed, i.e., Yudhiṣṭhira in context)

Vārṣṇeya (epithet of Kṛṣṇa)

horses

reins

fruits (of a tree)

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights demonstrable competence and accountability: a claim is offered with a clear condition (a fixed time) and a public witness (the king watching), emphasizing proof through action rather than mere assertion.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bṛhadaśva addresses the king and proposes a brief interval—if the Vārṣṇeya holds the horses’ reins for that time, Bṛhadaśva will, in the king’s presence, count the fruits of a certain tree, presenting a concrete challenge or demonstration.