Shloka 20

पाण्डोः श्राद्धं, सत्यवत्याः वनगमनम्, बाल्यस्पर्धा च

Pāṇḍu’s Śrāddha, Satyavatī’s Withdrawal, and Childhood Rivalry

Devanagari script

एतया सतत धृत्या चरन्नेवंप्रकारया । देहं संस्थापयिष्यामि निर्भयं मार्गमास्थित:,सदा इस प्रकारकी धृति (धारणा)-द्वारा उक्त रूपसे व्यवहार करता हुआ भयरहित मोक्षमार्गमें स्थित होकर इस देहका विसर्जन करूँगा

Transliteration

etayā satata-dhṛtyā carann evaṁprakārayā | dehaṁ saṁsthāpayiṣyāmi nirbhayaṁ mārgam āsthitaḥ sadā ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana sprach: „Indem ich so lebe und handle, getragen von dieser unablässigen Standhaftigkeit, werde ich diesen Leib gefasst bewahren; und, stets auf dem furchtlosen Pfad zur Befreiung gegründet, werde ich ihn schließlich ablegen.“

Word by Word

एतयाby this

सततम्always, continually

धृत्याby steadfastness, by resolve

चरन्acting, conducting oneself

एवंthus

प्रकारयाby (such) a manner/way

देहम्the body

संस्थापयिष्यामिI shall establish/compose (i.e., set right)

निर्भयम्fearless, free from fear

मार्गम्path

आस्थितःhaving taken to, abiding in

सदाalways

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

deha (body)

mokṣa-mārga (path to liberation, implied)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse emphasizes sustained dhṛti—steady inner resolve—as the means to live rightly and remain established on a fearless spiritual path, culminating in calm relinquishment of the body (acceptance of death without anxiety).

What is happening in the narrative?

In Vaiśampāyana’s narration, a speaker expresses a vow-like determination: by maintaining constant firmness of mind and living accordingly, he will keep himself composed and continue on the liberation-oriented path, ultimately abandoning the body in due course.