Shloka 22
Subhadrā-vivāha-saṃsthāpana, Vṛṣṇi–Kuru satkāra, and Abhimanyu-janma
Chapter 213
तव चापि प्रियं कर्तुमिच्छामि जलचारिणि । अनृतं नोक्तपूर्व च मया किंचन कहिचित्,जलचारिणि! मैं तुम्हारा भी प्रिय करना चाहता हूँ। मैंने पहले कभी कोई असत्य बात नहीं कही है
tava cāpi priyaṃ kartum icchāmi jalacāriṇi | anṛtaṃ noktapūrvaṃ ca mayā kiṃcana kadācit, jalacāriṇi ||
Arjuna nói: “Ta cũng muốn làm điều khiến nàng vui lòng, hỡi kẻ cư ngụ nơi nước. Từ trước đến nay ta chưa từng nói dối—dù bất cứ lúc nào, về bất cứ việc gì—hỡi người con của thủy giới.”
अजुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds satya (truthfulness) as a moral credential: Arjuna grounds his promise to please the other party in his lifelong commitment to never speaking falsehood, implying that ethical reliability strengthens one’s word and conduct.
Arjuna addresses an aquatic female being (jalacāriṇī), expressing willingness to do what pleases her and asserting his established reputation for truthfulness, thereby seeking trust and affirming the sincerity of his intent.