Shloka 99

Devanagari script

|| न स्मराम्युक्तपूर्व वै स्वैरेष्वनृतां गिरम्‌

Transliteration

na smarāmy uktapūrvaṃ vai svair eṣv anṛtāṃ giram

Translation

«Не припомню, чтобы прежде я когда-либо произносила ложное слово — даже в тех делах, где могла говорить по своему усмотрению.»

Word by Word

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• स्मरामि: I remember
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ
• Form: Lat (present indicative), 1st, singular, Parasmaipada

• उक्तपूर्वाम्: previously uttered/said before
• उक्तपूर्वाम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उक्तपूर्वा
• Form: feminine, accusative, singular

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

• स्वैरेषु: among the self-willed/at one’s pleasure
• स्वैरेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वैर
• Form: masculine, locative, plural

• अनृताम्: untrue/false
• अनृताम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनृत
• Form: feminine, accusative, singular

• गिरम्: speech/utterance
• गिरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिर्
• Form: feminine, accusative, singular

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse upholds satya (truthfulness) as a central ethical discipline: even when one has freedom and no external constraint, one should not resort to false speech.

What is happening in the narrative?

Mārkaṇḍeya, speaking within the Vana Parva discourse, asserts his lifelong commitment to truthful speech, emphasizing moral integrity as part of his authority and character.