Shloka 20
Mahāprasthānika-parva Adhyāya 2: The Northward March, Sight of Himavat and Meru, and the Sequential Falls
अनुतं न स्मराम्यस्य स्वैरेष्वपि महात्मन: । अथ कस्य विकारो<यं येनायं पतितो भुवि
anṛtaṁ na smarāmy asya svair eṣv api mahātmanaḥ | atha kasya vikāro 'yaṁ yenāyaṁ patito bhuvi ||
Vaiśampāyana dit : « Je ne me souviens pas que ce magnanime Arjuna ait jamais proféré un mensonge—même en plaisantant ou dans une parole légère. Quelle est donc cette défaillance, et le fruit de quel acte, qui l’a fait tomber sur la terre ? »
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical ideal of satya (truthfulness) as a defining trait of a noble person, while also stressing that even the great can meet consequences due to subtle moral lapses or karmic residues; the narrative invites reflection on how character, action, and fate interrelate.
During the Mahāprasthāna (the Pandavas’ final journey), Arjuna collapses. The speaker (Vaiśampāyana) expresses astonishment, noting that Arjuna was not known to speak falsehood even in jest, and wonders what defect or karmic cause could have led to his fall.