Shloka 21
Devanagari script
आर्येण हि न वक्तव्या कदाचित् स्तुतिरात्मन:
Transliteration
āryeṇa hi na vaktavyā kadācit stutir ātmanaḥ
Translation
Sañjaya said: “For a noble person should never, at any time, speak in self-praise.”
Word by Word
आर्येणby a noble person
आर्येण:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootआर्य
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Singular
हिindeed/for
हि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि
नnot
न:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन
वक्तव्याshould be spoken/said
वक्तव्या:
TypeVerb
Rootवच्
FormGerundive (तव्यत्), Feminine, Nominative, Singular
कदाचित्ever/at any time
कदाचित्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकदाचित्
स्तुतिःpraise
स्तुतिः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootस्तुति
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
आत्मनःof oneself
आत्मनः:
TypeNoun
Rootआत्मन्
FormMasculine, Genitive, Singular
Speaker
संजय उवाच
Characters & Entities
S
SañjayaCharacter Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Cross References
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
Nobility (āryatva) is shown through restraint in speech: one should avoid self-glorification, letting merit be recognized by others rather than proclaimed by oneself.
In Sañjaya’s narration of the war events, he inserts an ethical observation about proper conduct—highlighting that an honorable person does not engage in self-praise.