Shloka 11

Devanagari script

गोधानिमीलिता: केचिन्मृदुप्रकृतयस्तथा । तरड्भगतिनिर्घोषास्ते नरा: पारयिष्णव:,जो गोहटीके समान आँखें बन्द किये रहते हैं, जिनका स्वभाव कोमल होता है तथा जिनके चलनेपर घोड़ेकी टाप पड़ने-जैसी आवाज होती है, वे मनुष्य युद्धके पार पहुँच जाते हैं

Transliteration

godhā-nimīlitāḥ kecin mṛdu-prakṛtayas tathā | taraḍ-bhaga-ti-nirghoṣās te narāḥ pārayiṣṇavaḥ ||

Translation

Bhīṣma sprach: Manche halten die Augen halb geschlossen wie eine Waranechse, sind von sanfter Natur, und ihr Gang klingt wie das Schlagen von Pferdehufen. Solche Männer vermögen die Gefahr der Schlacht zu durchqueren und sie zu überstehen.

Word by Word

गोधा-निमीलिताःhaving eyes closed like an iguana

केचित्some

मृदु-प्रकृतयःthose of gentle nature

तथाand/also; likewise

तरड्भगति-निर्घोषाःwhose sound (is) like the rumbling/clang of swift movement

तेthose

नराःmen

पारयिष्णवःable to carry across; capable of crossing over

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

godhā (iguana/lizard)

horse (as implied by hoofbeat simile)

battle/war (yuddha, implied by context)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhīṣma highlights that gentleness, restraint, and composed conduct can enable a person to endure and ‘cross over’ the dangers of conflict; moral steadiness is presented as a protective strength.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhīṣma’s instruction to Yudhiṣṭhira in Śānti Parva, he describes a type of person—quiet, mild, and controlled—who can pass safely through the turmoil of battle, contrasting inner discipline with outward aggression.