Shloka 43

भीष्मपर्व — अध्याय ६२: वासुदेवमहात्म्यप्रशंसा (देव–ब्रह्मसंवादः)

Devanagari script

यत्‌ तु शक्‍्यं मया कर्तु वृद्धेनाद्य नृपोत्तम । करिष्यामि यथाशक्ति प्रेक्षेदानीं सबान्धव:

Transliteration

yat tu śakyaṁ mayā kartuṁ vṛddhenādya nṛpottama | kariṣyāmi yathāśakti prekṣedānīṁ sabāndhavaḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: “O best of kings, whatever can be done by me—an old man—today, I shall do to the best of my ability. Now watch, together with your kinsmen.”

Word by Word

• यत्: whatever (that which)
• यत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: neuter, nominative/accusative, singular

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• शक्यम्: possible/doable
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्य
• Form: neuter, nominative, singular

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: instrumental, singular

• कर्तुम्: to do
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: infinitive

• वृद्धेन: by (me) the old man
• वृद्धेन: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृद्ध
• Form: masculine, instrumental, singular

• अद्य: today/now
• अद्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य

• नृप-उत्तम: O best of kings
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप + उत्तम
• Form: masculine, vocative, singular

• करिष्यामि: I shall do
• करिष्यामि: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: future, 1st, singular, parasmaipada

• यथा-शक्ति: according to (my) ability
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा + शक्ति

• प्रेक्ष: look/observe
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रेक्ष्
• Form: imperative, 2nd, singular, parasmaipada

• इदानीम्: now/at this time
• इदानीम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इदानीम्

• स-बान्धवः: together with (your) kinsmen
• स-बान्धवः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + बान्धव
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• nṛpottama (the best of kings, i.e., Dhṛtarāṣṭra)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse emphasizes acting within one’s capacity with sincerity—yathāśakti—especially in service to duty, even when limited by age or circumstance.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya addresses the king (Dhṛtarāṣṭra), declaring that despite being old he will do whatever is possible today, and invites the king to observe along with his kinsmen.