Shloka 32

Sudeva Identifies Damayantī in Cedi (सुदेवेन दमयन्ती-परिचयः)

Devanagari script

न स्मराम्यशुभं किंचित्‌ कृतं कस्यचिदण्वपि । कर्मणा मनसा वाचा कस्येदं कर्मण: फलम्‌,“मैंने मन, वाणी और क्रियाद्वारा कभी किसीका थोड़ा-सा भी अमंगल किया हो, इसकी याद नहीं आती, फिर यह मेरे किस कर्मका फल मिल रहा है?

Transliteration

na smarāmy aśubhaṃ kiṃcit kṛtaṃ kasyacid aṇv api | karmaṇā manasā vācā kasyedaṃ karmaṇaḥ phalam ||

Translation

Bṛhadaśva said: “I do not recall having done even the slightest harm to anyone—by deed, by mind, or by speech. Then whose action is this result of karma that is coming to me?”

Word by Word

नnot

स्मरामिI remember

अशुभम्inauspicious (thing), evil

किंचित्anything; even a little

कृतम्done

कस्यचित्of anyone

अणुa tiny (amount)

अपिeven; also

कर्मणाby action/deed

मनसाby mind

वाचाby speech

कस्यof which? of whose?

इदम्this

कर्मणःof (a) deed/action

फलम्fruit; result

Speaker

बृहदश्चव उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bṛhadaśva

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights ethical self-scrutiny and the doctrine of karma: consequences may arise even when one cannot immediately recall wrongdoing, prompting reflection on subtle harms (by body, speech, or mind) and on the complexity of karmic causation.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bṛhadaśva voices a perplexed, introspective lament: despite not remembering any intentional harm done through action, thought, or speech, he experiences suffering and questions what past deed could be ripening as its karmic result.