Shloka 22

Nara-Nārāyaṇa Precedent and Bhīṣma’s Counsel on Kṛṣṇa–Arjuna; Karṇa’s Reply

Devanagari script

तस्मात्‌ कर्मव कर्तव्यमिति होवाच नारद: । एतद्धि सर्वमाचष्ट वृष्णिचक्रस्य वेदवित्‌

Transliteration

tasmāt karmava kartavyam iti hovāca nāradaḥ | etaddhi sarvam ācāṣṭa vṛṣṇicakrasya vedavit ||

Translation

അതുകൊണ്ട് നാരദൻ പറഞ്ഞു— ‘കർമ്മം തീർച്ചയായും ചെയ്യേണ്ടതാണ്.’ വൃഷ്ണിവംശത്തിന്റെ മർമജ്ഞൻ ഈ സമസ്ത ഉപദേശവും പ്രസ്താവിച്ചു.

Word by Word

तस्मात्therefore/from that

कर्मaction/duty

वैindeed

कर्तव्यम्to be done/should be done

इतिthus (quotative)

हindeed/for emphasis

उवाचsaid/spoke

नारदःNarada

एतत्this

हिindeed/for

सर्वम्all/entire

आचष्टेdeclares/tells

वृष्णि-चक्रस्यof the Vrishni host/circle

वेद-वित्knower of the Veda

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Nārada

Vṛṣṇi (clan/lineage)

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

What is the core teaching?

The verse emphasizes niyatakarma—one should not abandon action; duty must be performed. Nārada frames ethical life as grounded in responsible action rather than withdrawal.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana reports Nārada’s statement and notes that a Veda-knowing authority connected with the Vṛṣṇi lineage has explained the matter fully, presenting a counsel on proper conduct.