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Shloka 56

कर्णेन व्यूहविधानम् — Karṇa’s Battle Formation and the Pāṇḍava Counter-Plan

Adhyāya 31

ऋतमेव हि पूर्वास्ते वदन्ति पुरुषोत्तमा: | तस्मादार्तायनि: प्रोक्तो भवानिति मतिर्मम,“आपके पूर्वज श्रेष्ठ पुछष थे और सदा सत्य ही बोला करते थे, इसीलिये आप 'आर्तायनि” कहलाते हैं; मेरी ऐसी ही धारणा है

ṛtam eva hi pūrvās te vadanti puruṣottamāḥ | tasmād ārtāyaniḥ prokto bhavān iti matir mama ||

Wika ni Sañjaya: “Tunay nga, ang iyong mga ninuno—mga taong pinakadakila—ay laging nagsasalita lamang ng katotohanan. Kaya sa aking pagkaunawa, tinatawag kang ‘Ārtāyani,’ sapagkat ikaw ay nasa angkan ng mga tapat sa katotohanan.”

ऋतम्truth
ऋतम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootऋत
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
एवindeed/only
एव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव
हिfor/indeed
हि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि
पूर्वाःancestors/forefathers
पूर्वाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootपूर्व
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
तेthey (your forefathers)
ते:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
वदन्तिspeak/say
वदन्ति:
TypeVerb
Rootवद्
FormPresent, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada
पुरुषोत्तमाःbest of men, excellent men
पुरुषोत्तमाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootपुरुषोत्तम
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
तस्मात्therefore/from that
तस्मात्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतद्
आर्तायनिःĀrtāyani (a patronymic/name)
आर्तायनिः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootआर्तायनि
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
प्रोक्तःcalled/said (as), named
प्रोक्तः:
TypeVerb
Rootप्र-वच्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular, Past passive participle (क्त)
भवान्you (honorific)
भवान्:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootभवत्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
इतिthus/‘as’ (quotative)
इति:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइति
मतिःthought/opinion
मतिः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootमति
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
ममof me/my
मम:
TypePronoun
Rootअस्मद्
FormGenitive, Singular

संजय उवाच

S
Sanjaya
Ā
Ārtāyani (epithet/patronymic)
A
ancestors/forefathers (pūrvāḥ)

Educational Q&A

The verse upholds ṛta (truth/right order) as an inherited ethical ideal: noble lineage is marked not merely by birth but by steadfast truthfulness, which becomes a basis for honorific recognition.

Sanjaya addresses a respected person and explains an epithet—‘Ārtāyani’—by appealing to the reputation of that person’s forefathers as unwavering speakers of truth, thereby framing the addressee within a moral lineage.