Shloka 11

Śānti-parva Adhyāya 3: Karṇa’s training under Rāma Jāmadagnya and the Bhārgava restriction on the Brahmāstra

Devanagari script

अहो<स्म्यशुचितां प्राप्त: किमिदं क्रियते त्वया । कथयस्व भयं त्वक्त्वा याथातथ्यमिदं मम

Transliteration

aho 'smy aśucitāṁ prāptaḥ kim idaṁ kriyate tvayā | kathayasva bhayaṁ tyaktvā yāthātathyam idaṁ mama ||

Translation

Nārada said: “Alas, I have fallen into impurity! What is this that you are doing? Tell me—casting aside fear—the truth of this matter exactly as it is.”

Word by Word

• अहो: alas! oh!
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अहो

• अस्मि: I am
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: Present, 1, Singular, Parasmaipada

• अशुचिताम्: impurity, uncleanliness
• अशुचिताम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अशुचिता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• प्राप्तः: having obtained, having reached
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राप् (धातु) / प्राप्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle)

• किम्: what?
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• इदम्: this
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• क्रियते: is done, is being done
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: Present, 3, Singular, Atmanepada (passive sense)

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: त्वद्
• Form: Instrumental, Singular

• कथयस्व: tell (me)!
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथय् (धातु, णिजन्त from कथ्)
• Form: Imperative, 2, Singular, Atmanepada

• भयम्: fear
• भयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• त्वक्त्वा: having abandoned, giving up
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: त्यज् (धातु) / त्यक्त्वा (क्त्वान्त अव्यय)
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund)

• याथातथ्यम्: as it really is, truthfully
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: याथातथ्य (प्रातिपदिक)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• मम: of me, my
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Genitive, Singular

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nārada

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse foregrounds an ethical demand for truthful disclosure: one should abandon fear and speak yāthātathyam—exactly as the facts are—especially when actions appear troubling or defiling. It also reflects sensitivity to aśuci (impurity), implying that questionable conduct must be clarified and corrected through honest explanation.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada reacts with alarm, feeling he has been brought into a state of impurity, and confronts the other party: “What are you doing?” He then urges them to speak without fear and to report the matter truthfully and precisely.