Shloka 4

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

Devanagari script

ततः स रथियनां श्रेष्ठो रथेनैकेन शत्रुजित्‌ । जगामानुमते मातु: पुरीं वाराणसीं प्रभु:,तब माता सत्यवतीकी आज्ञा ले रथियोंमें श्रेष्ठ शत्रुविजयी भीष्म एकमात्र रथके साथ वाराणसीपुरीको गये

Transliteration

tataḥ sa rathināṃ śreṣṭho rathenaikena śatrujit | jagāmānumate mātuḥ purīṃ vārāṇasīṃ prabhuḥ ||

Translation

Darauf brach Bhīṣma —der Beste unter den Wagenkämpfern, Bezwinger der Feinde— mit nur einem Wagen auf. Nachdem er die Zustimmung seiner Mutter Satyavatī erlangt hatte, begab sich der Mächtige in die Stadt Vārāṇasī.

Word by Word

ततःthen, thereafter

सःhe

रथिनाम्of chariot-warriors

श्रेष्ठःthe best

रथेनby/with a chariot

एकेनwith one (single)

शत्रुजित्enemy-conquering (conqueror of foes)

जगामwent

अनुमतेwith the consent/permission (in the permission)

मातुःof (his) mother

पुरीम्to the city

वाराणसीम्Varanasi

प्रभुःthe lord, the mighty one

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

Satyavatī

Vārāṇasī (Kāśī)

chariot

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 acting with sanctioned authority and respect for elders: even a powerful hero proceeds after obtaining his mother’s consent, aligning personal prowess with dharma and family governance.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates that Bhīṣma, the foremost chariot-warrior, departs in a single chariot for Vārāṇasī after receiving Satyavatī’s permission—setting up the events connected with the Kāśī princesses.