Shloka 16

धृतराष्ट्रस्य युधिष्ठिरं प्रति व्यवहार-रक्षा-नियमनोपदेशः | Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Instruction on Administration, Punishment, and Daily Governance

Devanagari script

वयं भीष्मस्य दास्याम: प्रेतकार्य तु फाल्गुन

Transliteration

vayaṃ bhīṣmasya dāsyāmaḥ pretakāryaṃ tu phālguna

Translation

Vaiśampāyana sprach: „O Phālguna, wir werden für Bhīṣma die Riten vollziehen, die einem Dahingegangenen gebühren – und so die feierlichen Verpflichtungen erfüllen, die wir ihm schulden.“

Word by Word

• वयम्: we
• वयम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Nominative, Plural

• भीष्मस्य: of Bhishma
• भीष्मस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• दास्यामः: we will give / we shall perform (give as offering)
• दास्यामः: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (दान)
• Form: Simple Future (Luṭ), First, Plural

• प्रेतकार्य: funeral rites (duty for the departed)
• प्रेतकार्य: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेतकार्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• तु: but / indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• फाल्गुन: O Phalguna (Arjuna)
• फाल्गुन: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: फाल्गुन
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• Bhīṣma
• Phālguna (Arjuna)
• pretakārya (funeral rites)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharma as repayment of moral and social debt: even amid political upheaval, one must honor elders and benefactors through prescribed rites, expressing gratitude and upholding communal order.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśaṃpāyana reports a resolve addressed to Arjuna (Phālguna): the speakers intend to carry out Bhīṣma’s post-death rites (pretakārya), emphasizing proper observance of funerary obligations.