Shloka 22
Yudhiṣṭhira’s Rājasūya Resolve and the Slaying of Jarāsandha
श्रीशुक उवाच स्वरैराकृतिभिस्तांस्तु प्रकोष्ठैर्ज्याहतैरपि । राजन्यबन्धून् विज्ञाय दृष्टपूर्वानचिन्तयत् ॥ २२ ॥
śrī-śuka uvāca svarair ākṛtibhis tāṁs tu prakoṣṭhair jyā-hatair api rājanya-bandhūn vijñāya dṛṣṭa-pūrvān acintayat
Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī nói: Từ âm sắc giọng nói, vóc dáng và dấu dây cung hằn trên cẳng tay, Jarāsandha biết các vị khách ấy thuộc hàng vương tộc. Rồi hắn nghĩ rằng mình đã từng gặp họ ở đâu đó trước đây.
The ācāryas point out that Jarāsandha had seen Lord Kṛṣṇa, Bhīmasena and Arjuna at Draupadī’s svayaṁvara ceremony. Since they had come begging in the guise of brāhmaṇas, Jarāsandha thought they must be low-class kṣatriyas, as indicated here by the word rājanya-bandhūn.
FAQs
This verse notes that the marks on the forearms caused by the striking of a bowstring, along with voice and appearance, can reveal a person’s kṣatriya (warrior) identity even when they are not openly presenting themselves.
In the narrative of Canto 10 Chapter 72, the visitors come in disguise; once the king realizes they are of the royal order and familiar, he becomes cautious and thoughtful about their purpose and the implications of their arrival.
External roles can be concealed, but consistent habits and “marks” of one’s nature tend to reveal identity; the verse encourages discernment—looking beyond appearances to patterns of character and conduct.