Shloka 11

Strī-satkāra (On honoring women) — Mahābhārata 13.46

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मन! तुमने मुझसे अपना वह कर्म नहीं बताया जो व्यभिचार-दोषके कारण भयरूप था। वे जानते थे, इसलिये उन्होंने तुम्हें बता दिया

Transliteration

Brahman! tvaṁ mayā svaṁ tad karma na kathitaṁ yad vyabhicāra-doṣa-kāraṇād bhaya-rūpaṁ āsīt. te jānanti sma, tasmāt te tvāṁ tat kathitavantaḥ.

Translation

毗补罗说道：“婆罗门啊，你没有告诉我你那件事——因沾染通奸之过而成为恐惧之因的行径。他们知道此事，所以才向你揭露。”

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मन्: O Brahmin
• ब्रह्मन्: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

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

• मम: to me
• मम: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Dative, Singular

• स्वम्: own
• स्वम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• कर्म: deed, act
• कर्म: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• अवदः: you said/told
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 2nd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• यत्: which
• यत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• व्यभिचार-दोष-कारणात्: because of the fault of transgression/adultery
• व्यभिचार-दोष-कारणात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यभिचार + दोष + कारण
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• भय-रूपम्: fearful in nature
• भय-रूपम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भय + रूप
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• ते: they
• ते: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• जानन्ति: know
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा
• Form: Present (Laṭ), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• आसन्: were
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• तस्मात्: therefore
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तस्मात् (तद्)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• त्वाम्: you
• त्वाम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: —, Accusative, Singular

• अब्रुवन्: told/said (to)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

Speaker

विपुल उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vipula
• Brahmin (addressed as Brahman)
• Unnamed 'they' (te)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Moral faults—especially sexual misconduct—create fear and social consequence; dharma requires truthful disclosure and accountability rather than concealment.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vipula confronts a Brahmin, pointing out that the Brahmin withheld information about a fearful deed connected with the fault of adultery, and notes that others who knew the matter revealed it.