Shloka 19

Sabhā Parva, Adhyāya 68 — Pāṇḍavānāṃ Vanavāsa-prasthānaḥ; Duḥśāsana-nindā; Pāṇḍava-pratijñāḥ

Devanagari script

विब्रूत पृथिवीपाला वाक्‍्यं मा वा कथंचन । मन्ये न्याय्यं यदत्राहं तद्धि वक्ष्यामि कौरवा:

Transliteration

vibrūta pṛthivīpālā vākyaṃ mā vā kathaṃcana | manye nyāyyaṃ yadatrāhaṃ taddhi vakṣyāmi kauravāḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “O kings, do not distort my words in any way. I shall state here what I consider just and proper—listen, O Kauravas.”

Word by Word

विब्रूतspeak (you all), say

पृथिवीपालाkings (protectors of the earth)

वाक्यम्word, statement

माnot (prohibitive particle)

वाor

कथंचनin any way, at all

मन्येI think, I consider

न्याय्यम्proper, just, right

यत्which, what

अत्रhere, in this matter

अहम्I

तत्that

हिindeed, surely

वक्ष्यामिI will speak, I will say

कौरवाःO Kauravas

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

pṛthivīpālāḥ (kings)

Kauravas (Kuru lineage)

Character 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

What is the core teaching?

The verse emphasizes integrity in communication: do not twist another’s words, and judge matters by what is nyāyya—just and dharmically proper—before speaking.

What is happening in the narrative?

The narrator Vaiśampāyana addresses kings/Kauravas, asking them not to misconstrue his statement and announcing that he will present what he deems the rightful, just position in the matter at hand.