Shloka 27
Ulūka’s Provocation and Keśava’s Counter-Message (उलूकदूत्ये केशवप्रत्युत्तरम्)
द्वयोयोंगं न पश्यामि तपसो रक्षणस्य च | अवश्यं तु मया कार्य वचन भवतां हितम्
dvayor yogaṁ na paśyāmi tapaso rakṣaṇasya ca | avaśyaṁ tu mayā kāryaṁ vacanaṁ bhavatāṁ hitam ||
ਤਪੱਸਿਆ ਅਤੇ ਰੱਖਿਆ—ਇਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਦੋਹਾਂ ਦਾ ਮੇਲ ਮੈਨੂੰ ਨਹੀਂ ਦਿੱਸਦਾ। ਇਹ ਦੋ ਕੰਮ ਇਕੱਠੇ ਨਹੀਂ ਚੱਲ ਸਕਦੇ; ਫਿਰ ਵੀ ਤੁਹਾਡੇ ਹਿਤ ਦੀ ਗੱਲ ਮੈਨੂੰ ਜ਼ਰੂਰ ਕਹਿਣੀ ਪਵੇਗੀ।
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights an ethical tension: one may not be able to pursue two aims simultaneously (here, austerity and active protection), yet one still bears responsibility to speak what is truly beneficial (hita) for others—prioritizing welfare-oriented counsel even amid conflicting duties.
Sanjaya reports a speaker’s response that the two roles—performing tapas and providing protection—do not readily fit together, but despite this incompatibility the speaker insists on delivering advice meant for the listeners’ welfare.