Shloka 54
Devanagari script
ततः: शान्तनवो भीष्मो बीभत्सुं नात्यवर्तत
Transliteration
tataḥ śāntanavo bhīṣmo bībhatsuṁ nātyavartata
Translation
Sañjaya said: Then Bhīṣma, the son of Śāntanu, did not overstep or press beyond Arjuna—holding to restraint even amid the clash of war, and keeping his conduct within the bounds of warriorly propriety.
Word by Word
ततःthen, thereafter
ततः:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootततः (तद्-प्रातिपदिकात् अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (तसिल्-प्रत्ययः)
शान्तनवःthe son of Śantanu
शान्तनवः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootशान्तनव (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्
भीष्मःBhīṣma
भीष्मः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootभीष्म (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्
बीभत्सुम्Arjuna (the terrible one)
बीभत्सुम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootबीभत्सु (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्
नnot
न:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (निषेध-अव्यय)
Formअव्यय
अत्यवर्ततsurpassed, went beyond
अत्यवर्तत:
TypeVerb
Rootअति + वृत् (धातु: वृत्/वर्त्)
Formलङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्
Speaker
संजय उवाच
Characters & Entities
स
संजय (Sañjaya)भ
भीष्म (Bhīṣma)श
शान्तनु (Śāntanu)ब
बीभत्सु / अर्जुन (Bībhatsu / Arjuna)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
Even in warfare, a warrior’s conduct is expected to remain within dharmic limits—valor is tempered by restraint, and victory is not pursued by abandoning propriety.
Sañjaya reports that Bhīṣma, facing Arjuna (Bībhatsu), does not ‘overstep’ him—suggesting measured engagement rather than reckless escalation in their encounter.