Shloka 33

Śara-śayyā-sthita-bhīṣma-saṃvāda-prastāvaḥ

The Prelude to Questioning Bhīṣma on the Bed of Arrows

Devanagari script

राजानो हतशिष्टास्त्वां राजन्नभित आसते । धर्माननुयुयुक्षन्तस्ते भ्य: प्रब्रूहि भारत,भारत! नरेश्वर! मरनेसे बचे हुए ये भूपाल आपके पास धर्मकी जिज्ञासासे बैठे हैं। आप इन सबको धर्मका उपदेश करें

Transliteration

rājāno hataśiṣṭās tvāṃ rājan abhita āsate | dharmān anuyuyukṣantas tebhyaḥ prabrūhi bhārata bhārata nareśvara ||

Translation

قال فايُو: «أيها الملك، إن الملوك الناجين—الذين بقوا بعد المذبحة—جالسون من حولك. وقد أتوا شغفًا بالسؤال عن الدَّرْما واختبارها بالمسائل. يا بهاراتا، يا سيّد البشر، علّمهم سبيل الاستقامة.»

Word by Word

राजानःkings

हतशिष्टाःsurvivors after slaughter (those left after being slain)

त्वाम्you

राजन्O king

अभितःaround, on all sides

आसतेsit, are seated

धर्मान्duties, dharmas

अनुयुयुक्षन्तःwishing to ask/inquire (desiring to question)

तेthey

भ्यःto them

प्रब्रूहिtell, declare

भारतO Bharata (descendant of Bharata)

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vāyudeva (Vāyu)

Bhārata (addressed king, i.e., Yudhiṣṭhira in context)

rājānaḥ (kings/rulers, survivors)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

That a righteous king should respond to sincere inquiry by expounding dharma—offering ethical guidance to those seeking clarity, especially after the moral upheaval of war.

What is happening in the narrative?

After the devastation of battle, surviving kings gather around the addressed sovereign and seek instruction on dharma; Vāyu urges the king to teach them.