Shloka 26

Vyāsa’s Counsel to the Concealed Pāṇḍavas; Śaṃkara’s Boon and the Predestination of Draupadī

Chapter 157

Devanagari script

यतितं वै मया पूर्व वेत्थ ब्राह्मणि तत्‌ तथा । क्षेमं यतस्ततो गन्तुं त्वया तु मम न श्रुतम्‌,ब्राह्मणी! तुम इस बातको ठीक-ठीक जानती हो कि पहले तुम्हारे साथ किसी ऐसे स्थानमें चलनेके लिये जहाँ सब प्रकारसे अपना भला हो, मैंने प्रयत्न किया था; परंतु उस समय तुमने मेरी बात नहीं सुनी

Transliteration

yatitaṃ vai mayā pūrvaṃ vettha brāhmaṇi tat tathā | kṣemaṃ yatastato gantuṃ tvayā tu mama na śrutam, brāhmaṇī ||

Translation

Le brāhmane dit : «Tu sais bien qu’autrefois j’ai véritablement fait l’effort, ô femme de brāhmane, de te conduire vers un lieu de sûreté et de bien-être. Pourtant, en ce temps-là, tu n’as pas prêté attention à mes paroles, madame».

Word by Word

[{'term''yatitam', 'definition': 'effort made

striven'}, {'term''vai', 'definition': 'indeed

surely (emphatic particle)'}, {'term''mayā', 'definition': 'by me'}, {'term': 'pūrvam', 'definition': 'formerly

earlier'}, {'term''vettha', 'definition': 'you know (2nd person singular, perfect/present sense)'}, {'term': 'brāhmaṇi / brāhmaṇī', 'definition': 'O Brahmin woman (vocative)'}, {'term': 'tat tathā', 'definition': 'that, just so

exactly thus'}, {'term''kṣemam', 'definition': 'safety

secure good'}, {'term''yataḥ tataḥ', 'definition': 'from wherever

to whatever place (i.e., to any suitable safe place)'}, {'term''gantum', 'definition': 'to go

to proceed'}, {'term''tvayā tu', 'definition': 'but by you

yet you (contrastive)'}, {'term''mama', 'definition': 'my

of me'}, {'term''na śrutam', 'definition': 'was not listened to

Speaker

ब्राह्मण उवाच

Characters & Entities

ब

ब्राह्मण (Brahmin speaker)

ब

ब्राह्मणी (Brahmin woman addressee)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse stresses ethical accountability in relationships: sincere guidance toward welfare (kṣema) must be met with attentive listening. Neglecting prudent counsel can become a moral and practical failing, especially when safety and well-being are at stake.

What is happening in the narrative?

A Brahmin addresses a Brahmin woman, reminding her that he previously tried to take her to a safe, beneficial place, but she did not accept or heed his advice at that time. The line functions as a reproach and a justification of his earlier conduct.