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

ਇਸ ਲਈ ਨਾਰਦ ਨੇ ਆਖਿਆ— ‘ਕਰਮ ਨਿਸ਼ਚਿਤ ਹੀ ਕਰਨਾ ਚਾਹੀਦਾ ਹੈ।’ ਵ੍ਰਿਸ਼ਣੀ ਵੰਸ਼ ਦੇ ਵੇਦ-ਵਿਦ ਨੇ ਇਹ ਸਾਰਾ ਉਪਦੇਸ਼ ਪ੍ਰਗਟ ਕੀਤਾ।

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore/from that
• तस्मात्: Apadana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: masculine/neuter, ablative, singular

• कर्म: action/duty
• कर्म: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन्
• Form: neuter, nominative, singular

• वै: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

• कर्तव्यम्: to be done/should be done
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ
• Form: neuter, nominative, singular

• इति: thus (quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

• ह: indeed/for emphasis
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह

• उवाच: said/spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: perfect, third, singular

• नारदः: Narada
• नारदः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• हि: indeed/for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• सर्वम्: all/entire
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• आचष्टे: declares/tells
• Type: Verb
• Root: चक्ष्
• Form: present, third, singular

• वृष्णि-चक्रस्य: of the Vrishni host/circle
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृष्णि-चक्र
• Form: neuter, genitive, singular

• वेद-वित्: knower of the Veda
• वेद-वित्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेदवित्
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Nārada
• Vṛṣṇi (clan/lineage)

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.