Shloka 20
उत्तरो भयविषण्णः — बृहन्नडेन धैर्योपदेशः
Uttara’s Panic and Bṛhannadā’s Stabilizing Counsel
उत्तर उवाच सैरन्ध्रि जानासि तथा युवानं नपुंसको नैव भवेद् यथासौ । अहं न शकनोमि बृहन्नलां शुभे वक्तुं स्वयं यच्छ हयान् ममेति वै,उत्तरने कहा--सैरन्ध्री! वह युवक ऐसे गुणोंसे विभूषित है कि वह नपुंसक नहीं हो सकता; इन बातोंको तुम अच्छी तरह जानती हो; [अतः तुम उससे कह दो, तो ठीक है।] शुभे! मैं स्वयं बृहन्नलासे नहीं कह सकता कि तुम मेरे घोड़ोंकी रास सँभालो
uttara uvāca—sairandhri jānāsi tathā yuvānaṃ napuṃsako naiva bhaved yathāsau | ahaṃ na śaknomi bṛhannalāṃ śubhe vaktuṃ svayaṃ yaccha hayān mameti vai ||
Uttara nói: “Hỡi Sairandhrī, nàng biết rõ chàng trai ấy được ban cho những phẩm chất như vậy nên không thể thật sự là hoạn nhân. Vì thế, nếu nàng nói với người ấy thì mới phải lẽ. Hỡi người đàn bà cát tường, ta không thể tự mình nói với Bṛhannalā rằng: ‘Hãy nắm cương ngựa của ta.’”
उत्तर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how social labels and appearances can conflict with perceived virtue and capability; it also shows the role of propriety and hesitation in speech—Uttara senses Bṛhannalā’s true prowess yet feels constrained by etiquette and embarrassment, delegating the request through Sairandhrī.
Prince Uttara, preparing for the impending encounter, speaks to Sairandhrī (Draupadī in disguise). He insists that the ‘young man’ Bṛhannalā cannot really be a eunuch given his qualities, and asks Sairandhrī to convey his request that Bṛhannalā take charge of his horses, since he himself feels unable to say it directly.