Shloka 27

Devanagari script

ऋतुस्नाता च साशथ्रत्थं त्वं च वृक्षमुदुम्बरम्‌ । परिष्वजेथा: कल्याणि तत एवमवाप्स्यथ:,“कल्याणि! तुम्हारी माता ऋतुस्नानके पश्चात्‌ पीपलके वृक्षका आलिंगन करे और तुम गूलरके वृक्षका। इससे तुम दोनोंको अभीष्ट पुत्रकी प्राप्ति होगी

Transliteration

ṛtusnātā ca sāśvatthaṃ tvaṃ ca vṛkṣam udumbaram | pariṣvajethāḥ kalyāṇi tata evam avāpsyathaḥ ||

Translation

Bhīṣma said: “Auspicious lady, after your mother has taken the purificatory bath following her courses, let her embrace the aśvattha (pipal) tree, and you embrace the udumbara (cluster-fig) tree. Thus you both will obtain the son you desire.”

Word by Word

ऋतुस्नाताhaving bathed after menstruation (ṛtu-bath)

चand

साshe (your mother)

अश्वत्थम्the aśvattha tree (peepal)

त्वम्you

चand

वृक्षम्tree

उदुम्बरम्the udumbara tree (cluster fig/gular)

परिष्वजेथाःshould embrace

कल्याणिO auspicious one

ततःthen/thereupon

एवम्thus/in this way

अवाप्स्यथyou (both/all) will obtain

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

aśvattha (pipal) tree

udumbara (gūlar/cluster-fig) tree

mother (of the addressed woman)

the addressed woman (kalyāṇī)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse presents a traditional, auspicious rite connected with ritual purity and the hope for progeny: after the mother’s post-menstrual bath, specific symbolic acts (embracing sacred trees) are prescribed as a means to obtain a desired son.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma is instructing an addressed woman (calling her ‘kalyāṇī’) about a prescribed observance: her mother should embrace the aśvattha tree and she should embrace the udumbara tree, with the stated result that they will gain the wished-for child.