In classical Sanskrit as I remember it, the perfect tense is supposed to be used for acts one has not witnessed. Obviously, this makes the use of the first person perfect problematic. There is a passage — in Śiśupālavadha? — in which the poet has a character describe lovemaking while he had drunk too much, using the first person perfect to describe acts he is not sure he did. Does anyone know where this episode appears? I asked ChatGPT and it made up a passage it said was from the 8th canto of the Kumārasaṃbhava. When I pointed out to it that the passage does not exist, ChatGPT apologized and gave me something from the Ṛgveda. 

Here’s what ChatGPT said. I’m not sure “hallucinating” is strong enough.

The passage you’re recalling is likely from Kālidāsa’s Kumārasambhava (The Birth of Kumāra), specifically in Canto 8. In this section, the god Śiva recounts his experience and interactions with Pārvatī. Śiva, reflecting on his actions, uses the first-person perfect tense in the original Sanskrit.


For instance, in verse 8.33, Śiva says:


mattvā madīyāśayapūrvakāṇi
(I, being intoxicated, performed actions…)


This verse and others capture the reflective tone where Śiva recalls his past actions, often influenced by a state of intoxication or strong emotion.


This particular use of the first-person perfect is famous for illustrating Śiva’s introspection and human-like vulnerabilities. Would you like to explore this verse in more detail?