Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

तच्छुत्वा नारदात्‌ सर्वमुतथ्यो नारदं तदा । प्रोवाच गच्छ ब्रूहि त्वं वरुणं परुषं वच:

Transliteration

tac chrutvā nāradāt sarvam utathyo nāradaṃ tadā | provāca gaccha brūhi tvaṃ varuṇaṃ paruṣaṃ vacaḥ ||

Translation

优陀提耶从那罗陀处听尽始末，便对那罗陀说道：“去吧，将我这严厉之言转告伐楼那。”

Word by Word

• तत्: that (news/statement)
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral here)

• नारदात्: from Nārada
• नारदात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• सर्वम्: all (of it)
• सर्वम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• उतथ्यः: Utatthya
• उतथ्यः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: उतथ्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• नारदम्: Nārada
• नारदम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• तदा: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

• प्रोवाच: said/spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• गच्छ: go
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), 2nd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• ब्रूहि: tell/say
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), 2nd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: —, Nominative, Singular

• वरुणम्: Varuṇa
• वरुणम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वरुण
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• परुषम्: harsh
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परुष
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• वचः: word/message
• वचः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Utathya
• Varuṇa

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores restraint and responsibility in communication: even when one must speak firmly, the message is delivered through an appropriate envoy (Nārada), suggesting that harsh truth should be conveyed with deliberation and due process rather than uncontrolled retaliation.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada reports the full situation to the sage Utathya. After hearing it, Utathya instructs Nārada to go to Varuṇa and deliver a severe warning or reprimand on his behalf.