Shloka 13

Devanagari script

यते हि नित्यं तव कर्तुमिष्टें दारै: सुतैर्जीवितेनात्मना च । एवं यन्मां वाग्विशिखेन हंसि त्वत्त: सुखं न वयं विद्य किंचित्‌,मैं सदा स्त्री, पुत्र जीवन और यह शरीर लगाकर तेरा प्रिय कार्य सिद्ध करनेके लिये प्रयत्नशील रहता हूँ। ऐसी दशामें भी तू मुझे अपने वाग्बाणोंसे मार रहा है; हमलोग तुझसे थोड़ा-सा भी सुख न पा सके

Transliteration

yate hi nityaṃ tava kartum iṣṭaṃ dāraiḥ sutair jīvitena ātmanā ca | evaṃ yan māṃ vāg-viśikhena haṃsi tvattaḥ sukhaṃ na vayaṃ vidma kiṃcit ||

Translation

ارجن نے کہا—میں ہمیشہ تمہاری پسندیدہ بات پوری کرنے کے لیے اپنی بیوی، بیٹوں، جان اور اپنا جسم تک داؤ پر لگا کر کوشش کرتا رہتا ہوں۔ پھر بھی تم مجھے گفتار کے تیروں سے زخمی کرتے ہو؛ تم سے ہمیں ذرّہ بھر بھی خوشی نصیب نہیں ہوئی۔

Word by Word

{'yate''I strive

I make effort', 'hi''indeed

for', 'nityam''always

continually', 'tava''your

for you', 'kartum''to do

to accomplish', 'iṣṭam''what is desired/dear

pleasing (to you)', 'dāraiḥ''with (my) wife/wives

by means of spouse(s)', 'sutaiḥ''with sons/children', 'jīvitena': 'with life

at the cost of life', 'ātmanā''with the self

with one’s own person/body', 'ca''and', 'evaṃ': 'thus

even so', 'yan''when

inasmuch as', 'mām''me', 'vāk': 'speech

words', 'viśikha''arrow

dart', 'vāg-viśikhena''with the arrow of speech

with verbal darts', 'haṃsi''you strike/kill

you wound', 'tvattaḥ''from you', 'sukham': 'happiness

comfort', 'na''not', 'vayam': 'we', 'vidma': 'we know

we experience', 'kiṃcit''anything at all

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Arjuna

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical weight of speech: even when one is devoted and self-sacrificing, harsh words can wound like weapons. It implicitly urges restraint, gratitude, and fairness in judging loyal service, especially amid crisis.

What is happening in the narrative?

Arjuna speaks in anguish to a close associate, saying he has continually labored to fulfill that person’s wishes—risking family and life—yet is repaid with cutting, weapon-like speech. He complains that he has received no comfort or appreciation in return.