Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

प्रस्थाप्य पूर्व कौन्तेयो भीष्मसंस्करणाय वै | माल्यानि च वराहाणि रत्नानि विविधानि च

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | prasthāpya pūrva kaunteyo bhīṣma-saṃskaraṇāya vai | mālyāni ca varāhāṇi ratnāni vividhāni ca ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Earlier, the son of Kuntī (Yudhiṣṭhira) had already dispatched, for Bhīṣma’s funeral rites, garlands and choice offerings, along with various kinds of precious gems—honouring the great elder with due reverence and the propriety owed by dharma.

Word by Word

• प्रस्थाप्य: having dispatched/sent forth
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-स्था (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप् (क्त्वा-प्रत्ययार्थे अव्ययभावः), कर्तरि, having sent/dispatching

• पूर्वम्: beforehand/previously
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व

• कौन्तेयः: the son of Kunti (Yudhishthira)
• कौन्तेयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौन्तेय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भीष्म: of Bhishma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (in compound relation), Singular

• संस्करणाय: for the funeral rites/cremation preparations
• संस्करणाय: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: संस्करण
• Form: Neuter, Dative, Singular

• वै: indeed/for sure (emphatic particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

• माल्यानि: garlands/wreaths
• माल्यानि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: माल्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

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

• वराहाणि: boars (as offerings/animals)
• वराहाणि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वराह
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• रत्नानि: gems/jewels
• रत्नानि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रत्न
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• विविधानि: various/kinds of
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

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

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Kaunteya (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• Bhīṣma
• saṃskāra (funeral rites)
• mālya (garlands)
• ratna (gems/jewels)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharma expressed as reverence and proper ritual duty toward elders and the departed: a righteous king honours Bhīṣma not merely emotionally but through correct saṃskāra and fitting offerings, showing gratitude and adherence to social-ethical order.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates that Yudhiṣṭhira had already arranged and sent items needed for Bhīṣma’s funerary preparations—garlands, select ritual articles, and various jewels—indicating that the Pāṇḍavas were preparing to perform Bhīṣma’s last rites with full honour.