Shloka 8
Omens in the Kuru Host and Droṇa’s Recognition of Arjuna (क्लीबवेषधारी पार्थ-परिज्ञानम्)
गावो राष्ट्रस्य कुरुभि: काल्यन्ते नो बृहन्नले । ता विजेतुं मम भ्राता प्रयास्यति धनुर्धर:,“बृहन्नले! हमारे राष्ट्रकी गौओंको कौरव हाँककर लिये जाते हैं; अतः उन्हें जीतनेके लिये मेरे भैया धनुष धारण करके जानेवाले हैं
gāvo rāṣṭrasya kurubhiḥ kālyante no bṛhannale | tā vijetuṃ mama bhrātā prayāsyati dhanurdharaḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana berkata: “Wahai Bṛhannalā, para pahlawan Kuru sedang menggiring lari lembu-lembu kerajaan kami. Maka sebab itu saudaraku—si pemegang busur—akan berangkat untuk menewaskan mereka dan merampas kembali lembu-lembu itu.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights rājadhrama/kṣatriya-dharma: a ruler’s side must protect the kingdom’s resources and people from unjust appropriation. Recovering stolen cattle is presented as a rightful, duty-bound response rather than mere aggression.
The Kurus have seized and are driving away the cattle belonging to Virāṭa’s realm. Addressing Bṛhannalā (Arjuna in disguise), the speaker states that the prince’s ‘brother’—i.e., the prince himself as a bowman—is going out to reclaim the cattle, setting up the ensuing confrontation.