Shloka 26

Devanagari script

तस्मिन्‌ बद्धे महाप्राणे शत्रौ नित्याततायिनि । त॑ काल॑ पलितो ज्ञात्वा प्रचचार सुनिर्भय:,उस महान्‌ शक्तिशाली और नित्य आततायी शत्रुके फँस जानेपर जब पलितको यह समाचार मालूम हुआ, तब वह उस समय बिलसे बाहर निकलकर सब ओर निर्भय विचरने लगा

Transliteration

tasmin baddhe mahāprāṇe śatrau nityātatāyini | taṁ kālaṁ palito jñātvā pracacāra sunirbhayaḥ ||

Translation

When that mighty enemy—ever an aggressor—had been caught and bound, Palita, learning of the moment, came out of his burrow and began to roam about on all sides without fear.

Word by Word

तस्मिन्in that (situation/time)

बद्धेwhen (he) was bound/caught

महाप्राणेin the mighty/very powerful (one)

शत्रौin/when the enemy

नित्य-आततायिनिin the ever-aggressive assailant

तदाthen

कालःKāla (Time/Death; here a proper name)

पलितःPalita (proper name)

ज्ञात्वाhaving known/learning

प्रचचारroamed/went about

सुनिर्भयःvery fearless

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

Palita

śatru (enemy)

bilā (burrow/hole)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A society (or individual) regains fearlessness when a persistent aggressor (ātatāyin) is effectively restrained; dharma includes protecting the vulnerable by curbing habitual violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

After the powerful, ever-aggressive enemy is trapped and bound, Palita learns the news and, no longer threatened, emerges from his burrow and roams freely without fear.