Mahabharata 4.44.12 — Virata Parva, Adhyaya 44, Shloka 12

कृपकर्णसंवादः

Kṛpa’s Counsel to Karṇa on Deśa-Kāla and Coordinated Strategy

Devanagari script

श्रुता मे तस्य वीरस्य केवला नामहेतव: । तत्‌ सर्व यदि मे ब्रूया: श्रद्दध्यां सर्वमेव ते

Transliteration

śrutā me tasya vīrasya kevalā nāmahetavaḥ | tat sarva yadi me brūyāḥ śraddadhyāṁ sarvam eva te ||

Translation

Уттара сказала: «Я слышала лишь самые краткие причины славы того героя — только имя и повод, по которому его так зовут. Если ты расскажешь мне всё целиком, я поверю каждому твоему слову».

Word by Word

• श्रुता: heard/known
• श्रुता: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रुत (√श्रु)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• मे: to me
• मे: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Dative, Singular

• तस्य: of that
• तस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• वीरस्य: of the hero
• वीरस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• केवला: only/merely
• केवला: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: केवल
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• नाम: name
• नाम: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• हेतवः: reasons/causes
• हेतवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: हेतु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तत्: that (matter)
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• सर्वम्: all/entire
• सर्वम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• यदि: if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि
• Form: true

• मे: to me
• मे: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Dative, Singular

• ब्रूयाः: you should tell
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ब्रू
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), —, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• श्रद्दध्याम्: I would believe
• Type: Verb
• Root: √श्रद्-धा
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), —, First, Singular, Parasmaipada

• सर्वम्: everything
• सर्वम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• एव: indeed/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव
• Form: true

• ते: of you/your
• ते: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: —, Genitive, Singular

Speaker

उत्तर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Uttara (speaker)
• a certain hero (vīra; unnamed in this verse)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights a disciplined approach to knowledge: one should not rest content with mere hearsay or a name-based reputation, but seek the full account from a trustworthy source; sincere inquiry is paired with readiness to place faith once proper explanation is given.

What is happening in the narrative?

Uttara expresses that he has only heard a minimal, secondhand explanation about a certain hero’s fame. He requests the complete story and assures the listener that, if told fully, he will believe the speaker’s words.