Shloka 16

Devanagari script

त्वं हि केशव धर्मात्मा सत्यवान्‌ सत्यविक्रम: । सतां वाचमृतां कर्तुमहसि त्वमरिंदम,'शत्रुदमन केशव! तुम धर्मात्मा, सत्यवादी और सत्यपराक्रमी हो; अतः तुम्हें अपनी कही हुई बातको सत्य कर दिखाना चाहिये

Transliteration

tvaṁ hi keśava dharmātmā satyavān satyavikramaḥ | satāṁ vācam ṛtāṁ kartum arhasi tvam ariṁdama ||

Translation

వైశంపాయనుడు పలికెను— శత్రుదమనా కేశవా! నీవు ధర్మాత్మవు, సత్యవాది, సత్యవిక్రముడవు. కనుక సత్పురుషుల వాక్యాన్ని సత్యముగా చేయుట నీకు తగినది; నీవు పలికిన మాటను సిద్ధింపజేయుము.

Word by Word

त्वम्you

हिindeed/for

केशवO Keshava

धर्मात्माrighteous-souled

सत्यवान्truthful

सत्यविक्रमःof true valor / whose prowess is true

सताम्of the good (people)

वाचम्speech/word/promise

ऋताम्true

कर्तुम्to make/to accomplish

अर्हसिyou ought/are fit

त्वम्you

अरिंदमO foe-subduer

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Keśava (Kṛṣṇa)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Moral authority rests on satya (truth) expressed as integrity: a righteous person must fulfill what has been spoken, especially when that word represents the trust of the virtuous. Truth is not only speech but completed action aligned with ṛta (right order).

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Ashvamedhika context, Vaiśampāyana’s narration highlights Kṛṣṇa (Keśava) being addressed as inherently righteous and truthful, and therefore urged to make his stated word or assurance become reality—emphasizing his role as a guarantor of ethical outcomes.