Shloka 13

Adhyāya 199: Karma–Jñāna Causality and the Nirguṇa Brahman

Manu’s Instruction

Devanagari script

तत्‌ तथेति ततो देवी मधुरं प्रत्यभाषत

Transliteration

tat tatheti tato devī madhuraṁ pratyabhāṣata | bhavitā ca vivādo 'tra tava teṣāṁ ca dharmataḥ ||

Translation

女神以柔和甘美之声答道：“如是。”并又说道：“在此，将依于法（dharma），你与他们之间会兴起一场辩论。”

Word by Word

• तत्: that (reply/statement)
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• तथा: so, thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• इति: thus (quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

• ततः: then, thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• देवी: the goddess
• देवी: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी
• Form: feminine, nominative, singular

• मधुरम्: sweetly, pleasant (speech)
• मधुरम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मधुर
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• प्रत्यभाषत: replied, spoke in return
• Type: Verb
• Root: भाष् (प्रति-आ-)
• Form: imperfect (लङ्), third, singular, parasmaipada

• भविता: will be
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (भवितृ/भविता—periphrastic future form)
• Form: periphrastic future (लुट्), third, singular, parasmaipada

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• विवादः: dispute, debate
• विवादः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: विवाद
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• उत: also, moreover
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उत

• तव: of you, your
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: genitive, singular

• तेषाम्: of them
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: masculine, genitive, plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• धर्मतः: according to dharma, lawfully
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: धर्म
• Form: ablative used adverbially

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Devī (the goddess)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even disagreement can be conducted “dharmataḥ”—within the bounds of righteousness. The verse frames debate not as mere conflict but as an ethically governed encounter, where truth-seeking and propriety matter.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma narrates that a goddess responds graciously (“tathā”—‘so be it’) and foretells that a dispute/debate will occur, but it will proceed in a manner consistent with dharma between the addressed person and others.