Shloka 50
Adhyaya 74 — King Svarashtra, the Deer-Queen’s Curse, and the Rise of Tamasa Manu
कस्त्वं तात कथं वाहं पुत्रो माता च का मम ।
किमर्थमागतश्च त्वमेतत् सत्यं ब्रवीहि मे ॥
kastvaṃ tāta kathaṃ vāhaṃ putro mātā ca kā mama / kimarthamāgataśca tvametat satyaṃ bravīhi me
«Qui es-tu, ô bien-aimée ? Et comment suis-je ton fils, et qui est ma mère ? Dans quel dessein es-tu venue ? Dis-moi cela en toute vérité.»
FAQs
The verse foregrounds satya (truthfulness) as the proper basis for resolving questions of origin, duty, and relationship—lineage is not mere pride, but a guide to svadharma.
It functions as a narrative hinge within Vaṃśa/Manvantara material: a genealogical inquiry that sets up the recounting of events leading to a Manu and his era (Manvantara).
The ‘who am I / who are you’ questioning can be read as a dharmic-identity motif: knowing one’s true origin is a prerequisite for right action; ignorance of lineage symbolizes confusion of dharma.