Shloka 56

बक-गौतमाख्यानम् / The Baka–Gautama Account

On Gratitude and Friendship Ethics

Devanagari script

चित्र शीघ्रपदत्वाच्च चरन्तमसिपाणिनम्‌

Transliteration

citra śīghrapadatvācca carantam asipāṇinam

Translation

Bhīṣma sprach: „Er bewegte sich auf auffallende Weise — schnellen Fußes — und trat hervor, das Schwert in der Hand.“

Word by Word

• चित्रम्: wonderful/remarkable (thing)
• चित्रम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चित्र
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• शीघ्रपदत्वात्: from/because of quick-footedness
• शीघ्रपदत्वात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शीघ्रपदत्व
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• चरन्तम्: moving/walking
• चरन्तम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular, Shatru (present active participle)

• असि-पाणिनम्: one having a sword in (his) hand; sword-in-hand (man)
• असि-पाणिनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: असिपाणि
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• sword (asi)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The line highlights qualities valued in a warrior context—alert movement, swift footwork, and readiness with weapons—implying that competence and preparedness are integral to kṣatriya-dharma when force is required.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma is describing a figure’s battlefield-like bearing: the person is seen moving swiftly and impressively, carrying a sword in hand, as part of a larger account in the Śānti Parva.