Shloka 15

The Thirteen Inner Adversaries (Trayodaśa Doṣāḥ): Origins and Pacification

Devanagari script

नारदे यन्मया प्रोक्ते वचन प्रति तनन्‍्मूषा

Transliteration

nārade yanmayā prokte vacana prati tanmūṣā

Translation

Bhīṣma said: “O Nārada, regarding the statement that I have spoken, do not entertain doubt or suspicion against it.”

Word by Word

• नारदे: in/with regard to Nārada
• नारदे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• यत्: what/that which
• यत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Instrumental, Singular

• प्रोक्ते: when/after (it was) said; in what was spoken
• प्रोक्ते: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच्
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• वचनम्: speech; statement; word
• वचनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• प्रति: towards; in reply to; against
• प्रति: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अनुमूषा: forgive; pardon; bear with
• अनुमूषा: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु + मृष्
• Form: Imperative (Loṭ), 2nd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Nārada

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse emphasizes trust in a properly delivered instruction: when a teacher speaks with authority and intent to convey dharma, the listener should not distort it through suspicion, but receive it with clarity and good faith.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma addresses the sage Nārada directly, referring back to something he has just explained, and urges him not to doubt or misconstrue the statement—reinforcing the reliability of the teaching being transmitted.