Shloka 20
कथितं त्वनयासत्यं गायत्रया कन्यया दिवि । विजेष्याम्यवशानू् सर्व ब्राद्मणांश्वर्मवासस:
kathitaṃ tv anayā satyaṃ gāyatrayā kanyayā divi | vijeṣyāmy avaśān sarvān brāhmaṇān carmavāsasaḥ |
अर्जुन उवाच—दिवि गायत्री नाम कन्यया यदुक्तं यत् ब्राह्मणाः क्षत्रियेभ्यः श्रेष्ठा इति, तदसत्यं। ये ब्राह्मणा मृगचर्मधराः, ते बहवो विवशा आश्रिताश्च; अहं तान् सर्वान् विजेष्यामि। त्रिषु लोकेषु न कश्चिद् देवो न मानुषो वा मम राज्यात् च्यावयितुं शक्नोति; तस्मादहं ब्राह्मणादपि श्रेष्ठः।
अजुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse dramatizes the ethical danger of pride: asserting superiority based on power and conquest undermines dharma. It sets up a critique of measuring worth by force rather than by self-restraint, learning, and righteous conduct.
Arjuna responds defiantly to a heavenly proclamation attributed to a maiden named Gāyatrī that brāhmaṇas are superior to kṣatriyas. He rejects it as false, claims he can defeat the skin-clad ascetic brāhmaṇas, and boasts that no being in the three worlds can deprive him of sovereignty.