Shloka 17

Cyavana’s Yogic Display and Kuśika’s Recognition of Tapas (च्यवन-योगप्रभावः कुशिकस्य तपःप्रशंसा च)

Devanagari script

नाहं मिथ्यावचो ब्रूयां स्वैरेष्वपि कुतो5न्यथा । भवतो यदहं ब्रूयां तत्कार्यममविशंकया

Transliteration

nāhaṁ mithyāvaco brūyāṁ svaireṣv api kuto 'nyathā | bhavato yad ahaṁ brūyāṁ tat kāryam aviśaṅkayā ||

Translation

“ข้าแต่พระราชา แม้ยามผ่อนคลายหรือหยอกล้อ ข้าก็มิกล่าวเท็จ แล้วในกาลเช่นนี้จะกล่าวอสัตย์ได้อย่างไร สิ่งใดที่ข้าพเจ้ากราบทูล ขอพระองค์ทรงกระทำโดยปราศจากความกังขา”

Word by Word

• {'na': 'not', 'aham': 'I', 'mithyā-vacaḥ': 'false speech

• untruthful words', 'brūyām': 'I would speak (optative

• expressing resolve/possibility)', 'svaiḥ': 'at one’s own pleasure

• freely, casually', 'api': 'even', 'kutaḥ': 'how much less

• from where (idiomatically: ‘how could it be?’)', 'anyathā': 'otherwise

• in another manner (i.e., contrary to truth)', 'bhavataḥ': 'of you

• to you (honorific genitive)', 'yat': 'whatever which', 'ahaṁ brūyām': 'I may say / I tell', 'tat': 'that', 'kāryam': 'to be done

• what should be carried out', 'aviśaṅkayā': 'without suspicion/doubt

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Rājan (the King, i.e., Yudhiṣṭhira)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse upholds satya (truthfulness) as a non-negotiable ethical discipline: one who is committed to dharma does not resort to falsehood even in jest, and therefore deserves trust when giving counsel.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma, instructing the king (Yudhiṣṭhira) in the Anuśāsana Parva, asserts his unwavering commitment to truth and urges the king to act without suspicion on the guidance he provides.