Shloka 27
भीमस्य बल्लव-प्रतिज्ञा तथा अर्जुनस्य बृहन्नडा-रूप-निर्णयः
Bhīma’s Ballava Vow and Arjuna’s Decision to Become Bṛhannadā
पिनद्धकम्बु: पाणिभ्यां तृतीयां प्रकृतिं गत: । वेणीकृतशिरा राजन् नाम्ना चैव बृहन्नला,मैं दोनों कानोंमें अग्निके समान कान्तिमान् कुण्डल पहनकर हाथोंमें शंखकी चूड़ियाँ धारण कर लूँगा। इस प्रकार तीसरी प्रकृति (नपुंसकभाव)-को अपनाकर सिरपर चोटी गूँथ लूँगा और अपनेको बृहन्नला नामसे घोषित करूँगा
pinaddha-kambuḥ pāṇibhyāṁ tṛtīyāṁ prakṛtiṁ gataḥ | veṇī-kṛta-śirā rājan nāmnā caiva bṛhannalā ||
Arjuna disse: “Ó rei, usarei pulseiras de concha nas mãos e, adotando o terceiro estado da natureza (a condição de eunuco), trançarei o cabelo numa trança. Assim serei conhecido pelo nome de ‘Bṛhannalā’.”
अजुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Dharma may require restraint and strategic concealment: Arjuna willingly adopts a socially vulnerable guise to uphold the collective vow and protect the larger righteous objective, showing mastery over ego and attachment to status.
Planning the Pāṇḍavas’ incognito year, Arjuna explains how he will disguise himself: wearing feminine-coded ornaments, braiding his hair, and taking the name Bṛhannalā so that he can live unrecognized in Virāṭa’s realm.