Shloka 203

भीष्मदर्शनार्थं प्रस्थानम्

Departure to Behold Bhīṣma

Devanagari script

मेघघोषै रथवरै: प्रययुस्ते नरर्षभा: । रथपर बैठे-बैठे ही उन सबने बातचीत की, और एक-दूसरेसे रात्रिके सुखपूर्वक व्यतीत होनेका कुशल-समाचार पूछा। फिर वे नरश्रेष्ठ मेघगर्जनाके समान गम्भीर घोष करनेवाले श्रेष्ठ रथोंद्वारा वहाँसे चल पड़े

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | meghaghoṣai rathavaraiḥ prayayus te nararṣabhāḥ |

Translation

Vaiśampāyana sprach: „Jene Männer, stark wie Stiere, brachen auf in vortrefflichen Wagen, deren tiefer Donnerklang den Gewitterwolken glich. Noch im Sitzen auf ihren Wagen sprachen sie miteinander und erkundigten sich höflich nach dem Wohlergehen des anderen und nach der Ruhe der Nacht. Dann zogen diese Besten der Männer weiter, fort von dort, auf Wagen, die wie Wolkendonner dröhnten.“

Word by Word

मेघघोषैःwith cloud-thundering (i.e., thunderous) [ones]

रथवरैःwith excellent chariots

प्रययुःthey went forth / departed

तेthey

नरर्षभाःbulls among men / best of men

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

excellent chariots (rathavarāḥ)

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?

The verse highlights cultured conduct (sadācāra): even powerful men maintain mutual respect, inquire after one another’s welfare, and proceed with discipline—an ethical tone consistent with Śānti Parva’s emphasis on right conduct and social harmony.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates that the foremost men depart from the place in splendid chariots whose sound is likened to thunderclouds; before leaving, they converse and exchange well-being inquiries about the night’s comfort.