Shloka 28

Bhīṣma’s Fall, the Arrow-bed (śara-talpa), and the Establishment of Guard

Devanagari script

नायं संरक्षितुं काल: प्राणान्‌ पुत्रोपजीविभि: । याहि स्वर्ग पुरस्कृत्य यशसे विजयाय च

Transliteration

na ayaṁ saṁrakṣituṁ kālaḥ prāṇān putropajīvibhiḥ | yāhi svargaṁ puraskṛtya yaśase vijayāya ca |

Translation

Sañjaya said: “This is not the time for men who live dependent on their sons to cling to the protection of their own lives. Go to Bhīṣma, keeping heaven before you—seeking fame and victory.”

Word by Word

• na: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na

• ayam: this (is)
• ayam: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: idam
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• saṃrakṣitum: to protect
• Type: Verb
• Root: saṃ-rakṣ
• Form: tumun (infinitive)

• kālaḥ: time/occasion
• kālaḥ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• prāṇān: life-breaths; lives
• prāṇān: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: prāṇa
• Form: masculine, accusative, plural

• putra-upajīvibhiḥ: by those who live dependent on sons
• putra-upajīvibhiḥ: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra-upajīvin
• Form: masculine, instrumental, plural

• yāhi: go
• Type: Verb
• Root: yā
• Form: imperative, second, singular, parasmaipada

• svargam: heaven
• svargam: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: svarga
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• puraskṛtya: having placed in front; keeping in view
• Type: Verb
• Root: puras-kṛ
• Form: ktvā (absolutive/gerund)

• yaśase: for fame
• yaśase: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: yaśas
• Form: neuter, dative, singular

• vijayāya: for victory
• vijayāya: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: vijaya
• Form: masculine, dative, singular

• ca: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Bhīṣma
• Svarga (heaven)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse urges prioritizing honor-bound action over self-preservation: in a dharma-war context, one should not cling to life out of fear or dependency, but act with the higher aims of duty, glory, and the righteous hope of heaven.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya, reporting the battlefield situation, conveys an exhortation to approach Bhīṣma—the commander—without hesitation, framing the moment as one that demands courage and commitment to victory rather than anxious protection of one’s life.