Shloka 39

Ādi Parva, Adhyāya 103 — Dhṛtarāṣṭra–Gāndhārī Vivāha: Proposal, Consent, and the Vow

Devanagari script

क्षत्रधर्म समास्थाय व्यपेतभयसम्भ्रम: । निवर्तयामास रथं शाल्वं प्रति महारथ:,महारथी भीष्मने क्षत्रिय-धर्मका आश्रय ले भय और घबराहट छोड़कर शाल्वकी ओर अपना रथ लौटाया

Transliteration

kṣatradharmaṃ samāsthāya vyapetabhayasambhramaḥ | nivartayāmāsa rathaṃ śālvaṃ prati mahārathaḥ ||

Translation

Auf das Dharma des Kṣatriya gestützt, frei von Furcht und Verwirrung, wandte der große Wagenkämpfer seinen Streitwagen zurück in Richtung Śālva—und wählte standhafte Pflicht statt Zögern angesichts der Schlacht.

Word by Word

क्षत्रधर्मम्the duty of a kshatriya (warrior-duty)

समास्थायhaving resorted to / having taken up

व्यपेतभयसम्भ्रमःone whose fear and agitation had departed

निवर्तयामासturned back / caused to turn back

रथम्the chariot

शाल्वम्Shalva (proper name)

प्रतिtowards / against

महारथःthe great chariot-warrior

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Śālva

ratha (chariot)

mahāratha (great chariot-warrior)

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?

The verse highlights kṣatriya-dharma: when duty demands action, a warrior should act with steadiness—dispelling fear and confusion—and meet the challenge directly rather than retreating into hesitation.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates that the great chariot-warrior, regaining composure and grounding himself in the warrior’s duty, turns his chariot back toward Śālva to confront him.