Shloka 23

भीष्मस्य सेनापत्यप्रतिज्ञा तथा रथसंख्यावर्णनम् | Bhishma Accepts Command and Enumerates Kaurava Strength

Devanagari script

नद्वितीयां प्रतिज्ञां हि प्रतिजानामि कैतव । सत्यं॑ ब्रवीम्यहं होतत्‌ सर्व सत्यं भविष्यति

Transliteration

na dvitīyāṁ pratijñāṁ hi pratijānāmi kaitava | satyaṁ bravīmy ahaṁ hotat sarvaṁ satyaṁ bhaviṣyati |

Translation

“欺诈之徒啊，我不知如何再立第二次誓言。我对你说的是真话：这一切必将如实应验。” 随后，坚守正法的尤提士提罗也对乌卢迦——那狡黠赌徒之子——说道：“亲爱的乌卢迦，你去见都律约陀那，把我的话转告于他……”

Word by Word

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

• द्वितीयाम्: second
• द्वितीयाम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वितीया
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रतिज्ञाम्: promise, vow
• प्रतिज्ञाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतिज्ञा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• हि: indeed, for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• प्रतिजानामि: I promise, I vow
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रतिज्ञा (धातु: ज्ञा)
• Form: Present (Lat), First, Singular, Parasmaipada

• कैतव: O cheat, O gambler
• Type: Noun
• Root: कैतव
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• सत्यम्: truth
• सत्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• ब्रवीमि: I say, I speak
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू
• Form: Present (Lat), First, Singular, Parasmaipada

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अहम्
• Form: Nominative, Singular

• होतत्: as read: unclear; likely 'indeed that/this'
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: होतत् (पाठभेद/दुष्पाठ; सम्भाव्य: हि तत् / वा तत् / ह्येतत्)

• सर्वम्: all (this)
• सर्वम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• सत्यम्: true
• सत्यम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• भविष्यति: will be, will come to pass
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Future (Lrt), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• शकुनि-पुत्र: O son of Shakuni
• Type: Noun
• Root: शकुनि + पुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Ulūka
• Duryodhana
• Śakuni

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical weight of a vow made in truth: a righteous person does not repeatedly re-pledge for effect, but speaks once with integrity and stands by it. Truth (satya) is presented as performative and binding—what is spoken in righteousness is expected to become reality.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya narrates a tense exchange in which a speaker rebukes a deceitful interlocutor and affirms that what has been declared will surely occur. Immediately after, Yudhiṣṭhira addresses Ulūka (Śakuni’s son), instructing him to return to Duryodhana with a message—part of the charged diplomatic communications just before the outbreak of war.