Shloka 21
Gaṅgā-tīra Udaka-kriyā and Kuntī’s Disclosure of Karṇa’s Maternity
Strī-parva, Adhyāya 27
Devanagari script
अहो भवत्या मन्त्रस्य गूहनेन वयं हता:
Transliteration
aho bhavatyā mantrasya gūhanena vayaṁ hatāḥ
Translation
ໂອ ອະນິດຈັງ! ເພາະເຈົ້າໄດ້ປິດບັງມັນຕຣາ—ຄໍາຊີ້ນໍາອັນສັກສິດ—ພວກເຮົາຈຶ່ງພິນາດແລ້ວ.
Word by Word
अहोalas! / oh!
अहो:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअहो
भवत्याby you (lady)
भवत्या:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootभवत्
FormFeminine, Instrumental, Singular
मन्त्रस्यof the counsel/secret
मन्त्रस्य:
TypeNoun
Rootमन्त्र
FormMasculine, Genitive, Singular
गूहनेनby concealment/hiding
गूहनेन:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootगूहन
FormNeuter, Instrumental, Singular
वयम्we
वयम्:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootअस्मद्
Form—, Nominative, Plural
हताःkilled/slain (are)
हताः:
TypeVerb
Rootहन्
FormPast passive participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative, Plural
Speaker
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Characters & Entities
व
वैशम्पायन (Vaiśampāyana) as narrator/speakerB
bhavatī (a respectfully addressed woman; unnamed in this pāda)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the moral burden of withholding vital counsel: secrecy can become culpable when it prevents protection, right action, or timely remedy, leading to collective harm.
In the lament-filled context of the Strī Parva, the narrator reports a reproach: someone addresses a woman, blaming their destruction on her having concealed an important mantra or counsel.