Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

उषित्वा शर्वरी: श्रीमान्‌ पञ्चाशन्नगरोत्तमे । समयं कौरवाग्रयस्य सस्मार पुरुषर्षभ:

Transliteration

uṣitvā śarvarīḥ śrīmān pañcāśan nagarottame | samayaṃ kauravāgryasya sasmāra puruṣarṣabhaḥ ||

Translation

After spending fifty nights in that excellent city, the illustrious bull among men, Yudhiṣṭhira, recalled the appointed time that Bhīṣma, foremost of the Kauravas, had indicated—showing his conscientious resolve to act in accord with the elder’s instruction and the demands of dharma.

Word by Word

• उषित्वा: having stayed/dwelt
• उषित्वा: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: वस् (उष्-आदेश) धातु
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive), कर्तरि, non-finite

• शर्वरीः: nights
• शर्वरीः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर्वरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• श्रीमान्: prosperous, illustrious
• श्रीमान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रीमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• पञ्चाशत्: fifty
• पञ्चाशत्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्चाशत् (संख्याशब्द प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय/लिङ्गातीत (संख्याशब्द-स्वभाव), —, —

• नगरोत्तमे: in the best city
• नगरोत्तमे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नगर + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• समयम्: the appointed time
• समयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: समय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• कौरवाग्रयस्य: of the foremost Kaurava (Bhīṣma)
• कौरवाग्रयस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौरव + अग्र्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• सस्मार: remembered
• सस्मार: Kriya
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ धातु
• Form: लिट् (परोक्शभूत/परफेक्ट), प्रथम, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• पुरुषर्षभः: the bull among men (best of men)
• पुरुषर्षभः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष + ऋषभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Bhīṣma
• nagarottama (the excellent city)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharmic attentiveness: a righteous king does not act impulsively but remembers and honors the proper time and guidance given by venerable elders, aligning action with duty and ethical order.

What is happening in the narrative?

After residing for fifty nights in an excellent city, Yudhiṣṭhira recalls the time fixed by Bhīṣma (the foremost Kaurava), indicating that he is preparing to proceed according to Bhīṣma’s earlier instruction.