Shloka 22

Devanagari script

तथा स्त्रीषु प्रतिश्रुत्य पौरुषं पुरुषेषु च । कत्थमानो5भिनिर्याय किमर्थ न युयुत्ससे,तुम स्त्रियों और पुरुषोंके बीच कौरवोंको हराकर अपने गोधनको वापस लानेकी प्रतिज्ञा करके पुरुषार्थके विषयमें अपनी श्लाघा करते हुए युद्धके लिये निकले थे; फिर अब क्यों युद्ध नहीं करना चाहते?

Transliteration

tathā strīṣu pratiśrutya pauruṣaṃ puruṣeṣu ca | katthamāno 'bhiniryāya kimarthaṃ na yuyutsase ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “Having made a pledge of manly valor in the presence of women, and having proclaimed your prowess among men, you set out boasting for battle. Why, then, do you now refuse to fight?”

Word by Word

• तथा: thus, in that manner
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• स्त्रीषु: among women
• स्त्रीषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Plural

• प्रतिश्रुत्य: having promised
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति-श्रु (धातु: श्रु)
• Form: Absolutive (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय), Parasmaipada (usage)

• पौरुषम्: manliness, valor
• पौरुषम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पौरुष
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• पुरुषेषु: among men
• पुरुषेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• कत्थमानः: boasting, vaunting
• कत्थमानः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: कत्थमान (from धातु: कत्थ्/कथ् “to boast”)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अभिनिर्याय: having set out, having gone forth
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-नि-इ (धातु: इ)
• Form: Absolutive (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय; irregular/strengthened form), Parasmaipada (usage)

• किमर्थम्: for what reason? why?
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किमर्थ

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• युयुत्ससे: you wish to fight / you want to fight
• Type: Verb
• Root: युध् (desiderative: युयुत्स्)
• Form: Lat (Present), Atmanepada, Second, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Public vows and claims of valor create a moral obligation to act consistently; for a warrior, withdrawing from a justly undertaken fight after boasting is portrayed as a lapse in honor and duty.

What is happening in the narrative?

The speaker challenges a warrior who had earlier promised—before women and men alike—to display prowess and go to battle, questioning why he now hesitates and refuses to fight.