Shloka 21

Devanagari script

नेदं शक्‍यं वृथा कर्तु मम सत्र॑ कथंचन

Transliteration

nedaṁ śakyaṁ vṛthā kartuṁ mama satraṁ kathaṁcana

Translation

वैशंपायन म्हणाले—“माझे हे सत्र कोणत्याही प्रकारे व्यर्थ करता येणार नाही; ते निष्फळ होऊ दिले जाणार नाही.”

Word by Word

• na: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na

• idam: this
• idam: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: idam
• Form: neuter, nominative, singular

• śakyam: possible / feasible
• śakyam: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śakya
• Form: neuter, nominative, singular

• vṛthā: in vain / uselessly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vṛthā

• kartum: to do / to make
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ
• Form: tumun (infinitive)

• mama: of me / my
• mama: Sambandha
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: asmad
• Form: genitive, singular

• satra: sacrificial session / rite (satra)
• satra: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: satra
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• kathaṃcana: in any way / by any means (at all)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kathaṃcana

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• satra (sacrificial session)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores steadfastness in dharma: once a sacred undertaking is begun, one should not let it become fruitless through negligence, distraction, or lack of resolve.

What is happening in the narrative?

Within the Ashvamedhika Parva’s frame narration, Vaiśampāyana asserts that his ongoing sacrificial session (satra) must not be allowed to fail, emphasizing the seriousness and continuity of the rite and the discourse connected with it.