Shloka 20

Devanagari script

कथितं त्वनयासत्यं गायत्रया कन्यया दिवि । विजेष्याम्यवशानू्‌ सर्व ब्राद्मणांश्वर्मवासस:

Transliteration

kathitaṃ tv anayā satyaṃ gāyatrayā kanyayā divi | vijeṣyāmy avaśān sarvān brāhmaṇān carmavāsasaḥ |

Translation

Arjuna nói: “Điều mà thiếu nữ tên Gāyatrī đã tuyên bố trên cõi trời—rằng các bà-la-môn cao hơn các kṣatriya—là không đúng. Những bà-la-môn khoác da thú phần nhiều phải nương tựa và bị ràng buộc; ta sẽ khuất phục tất cả. Trong ba cõi không có thần hay người nào có thể đẩy ta khỏi chủ quyền của ta; bởi vậy ta cao hơn cả bà-la-môn.”

Word by Word

• कथितम्: said, declared
• कथितम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कथित (कथ् धातु, क्त प्रत्यय)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• तु: but, however
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• अनया: by this (woman/one)
• अनया: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम् (स्त्रीलिङ्ग रूप: अयम्/इयम्)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• असत्यम्: false, untrue
• असत्यम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: असत्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• गायत्रया: by (the one named) Gāyatrī
• गायत्रया: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: गायत्री
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• कन्यया: by the maiden
• कन्यया: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्या
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• दिवि: in heaven
• दिवि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिव्
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

• विजेष्यामि: I shall conquer
• Type: Verb
• Root: जि (वि + जि)
• Form: Simple Future (Luṭ), 1st, Singular

• अवशान्: helpless, powerless
• अवशान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अवश
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• सर्वान्: all
• सर्वान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• ब्राह्मणान्: Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• चर्मवाससः: those whose clothing is hide (wearers of skins)
• चर्मवाससः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: चर्मवस् (चर्म + वस्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Arjuna
• Gāyatrī (as a maiden)
• Brāhmaṇas
• Devas
• Humans (manuṣyas)
• The three worlds (trailokya)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse dramatizes the ethical danger of pride: asserting superiority based on power and conquest undermines dharma. It sets up a critique of measuring worth by force rather than by self-restraint, learning, and righteous conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

Arjuna responds defiantly to a heavenly proclamation attributed to a maiden named Gāyatrī that brāhmaṇas are superior to kṣatriyas. He rejects it as false, claims he can defeat the skin-clad ascetic brāhmaṇas, and boasts that no being in the three worlds can deprive him of sovereignty.