Shloka 13

Devanagari script

यते हि नित्यं तव कर्तुमिष्टें दारै: सुतैर्जीवितेनात्मना च । एवं यन्मां वाग्विशिखेन हंसि त्वत्त: सुखं न वयं विद्य किंचित्‌

Transliteration

yate hi nityaṃ tava kartum iṣṭaṃ dāraiḥ sutair jīvitena ātmanā ca | evaṃ yan māṃ vāg-viśikhena haṃsi tvattaḥ sukhaṃ na vayaṃ vidma kiṃcit ||

Translation

Arjuna disse: “Esforço-me continuamente para realizar o que te é caro—arriscando minha esposa, meus filhos, a própria vida e a minha pessoa. E, ainda assim, tu me feres com flechas de palavras. De ti, não conhecemos sequer a menor felicidade.”

Word by Word

• {'yate': 'I strive

• I make effort', 'hi': 'indeed

• for', 'nityam': 'always

• continually', 'tava': 'your

• for you', 'kartum': 'to do

• to accomplish', 'iṣṭam': 'what is desired/dear

• pleasing (to you)', 'dāraiḥ': 'with (my) wife/wives

• by means of spouse(s)', 'sutaiḥ': 'with sons/children', 'jīvitena': 'with life

• at the cost of life', 'ātmanā': 'with the self

• with one’s own person/body', 'ca': 'and', 'evaṃ': 'thus

• even so', 'yan': 'when

• inasmuch as', 'mām': 'me', 'vāk': 'speech

• words', 'viśikha': 'arrow

• dart', 'vāg-viśikhena': 'with the arrow of speech

• with verbal darts', 'haṃsi': 'you strike/kill

• you wound', 'tvattaḥ': 'from you', 'sukham': 'happiness

• comfort', 'na': 'not', 'vayam': 'we', 'vidma': 'we know

• we experience', 'kiṃcit': 'anything at all

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Arjuna

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical weight of speech: even when one is devoted and self-sacrificing, harsh words can wound like weapons. It implicitly urges restraint, gratitude, and fairness in judging loyal service, especially amid crisis.

What is happening in the narrative?

Arjuna speaks in anguish to a close associate, saying he has continually labored to fulfill that person’s wishes—risking family and life—yet is repaid with cutting, weapon-like speech. He complains that he has received no comfort or appreciation in return.