Shloka 48
Adhyāya 90: Babhruvāhana’s Reception and the Commencement of Yudhiṣṭhira’s Aśvamedha
Devanagari script
नवेत्ति कर्मतो भायरिक्षणे यो5क्षम: पुमान्
Transliteration
na vetti karmato bhaya-rīkṣaṇe yo 'kṣamaḥ pumān
Translation
قال ناكولا: «إن الرجل الذي لا يقدر أن يفحص الخوف من جهة أسبابه وعواقبه في الفعل لا يفهمه على الحقيقة.»
Word by Word
नnot
न:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन
वेत्तिknows
वेत्ति:
TypeVerb
Rootविद्
FormLat, Present indicative, 3, Singular, Parasmaipada
कर्मतःfrom/with regard to action (deeds)
कर्मतः:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Rootकर्मन्
FormNeuter, Ablative, Singular
भयfear
भय:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootभय
FormNeuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular
रीक्षणेin/at the observing, in the examination
रीक्षणे:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootरीक्षण
FormNeuter, Locative, Singular
यःwho
यः:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootयद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
अक्षमःincapable, unable
अक्षमः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootअक्षम
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
पुमान्a man, person
पुमान्:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootपुमांस्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
Speaker
नकुल उवाच
Characters & Entities
N
NakulaCharacter Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
Fear should be understood through clear scrutiny of action (karma): its causes, likely outcomes, and one’s capacity to respond. Without such practical discernment, fear remains unexamined and therefore not truly ‘known’ or mastered.
Nakula is speaking in a didactic context, offering a concise maxim: competence in evaluating fear must be grounded in assessing actions and their consequences, aligning courage with thoughtful judgment rather than impulse.