Shloka 23

महोत्पात-लक्षणानि

Omens before Khara’s Assault

Devanagari script

न क्वचित्प्राप्तपूर्वो मे संयुगेषु पराजयः।।।।युष्माकमेतत्प्रत्यक्षं नानृतं कथयाम्यहम्।

Transliteration

na kvacit prāptapūrvō mē saṅyugēṣu parājayaḥ | yuṣmākam ētat pratyakṣaṃ nānṛtaṃ kathayāmy aham ||

Translation

Kailanma’y hindi pa ako nagkamit ng pagkatalo sa mga labanan; ito’y nasaksihan na ninyo mismo—hindi ako nagsasalita ng kasinungalingan.

Word by Word

• न: not/never
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation)

• क्वचित्: ever
• क्वचित्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्वचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देश/कालवाचक-अव्यय (ever/anywhere)

• प्राप्त-पूर्वः: previously obtained/experienced
• प्राप्त-पूर्वः: Karta-anvaya (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राप्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √आप्, past participle) + पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा; विशेषण

• मे: for me/of me
• मे: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, एकवचन, षष्ठी

• संयुगेषु: in battles
• संयुगेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संयुग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, बहुवचन, सप्तमी (Locative)

• पराजयः: defeat
• पराजयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पराजय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा

• युष्माकम्: of you (all)
• युष्माकम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, बहुवचन, षष्ठी (Genitive)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (here: predicate/accusative sense)

• प्रत्यक्षम्: directly evident
• प्रत्यक्षम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रत्यक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया; विशेषण (as 'directly evident')

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध

• अनृतम्: untruth
• अनृतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया

• कथयामि: I say/tell
• कथयामि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कथ् (धातु) (causative sense in usage: 'to tell')
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, एकवचन, प्रथमा

Context

I have never faced defeat in wars, and all of you have seen it with your eyes. I am not telling you a lie.

Characters & Entities

• Khara
• Rākṣasas

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

Satya (truthfulness) is invoked—yet dharma also requires truthful speech to serve righteousness, not to inflate ego or justify violence.

What is the narrative situation?

Khara reassures his troops by citing his undefeated record and claiming he speaks the truth.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Truthfulness is named, but the lesson is discernment: factual truth can still be used in service of adharma when paired with pride.