Shloka 1

Devanagari script

नप्मआा यम () अआजअत+- सप्तपञ्चाशर्दाधिकशततमोब ध्याय: सेमलका हार स्वीकार करना तथा बलवानके साथ वैर न करनेका उपदेश भीष्म उवाच ततो निश्चित्य मनसा शाल्मलि: क्षुभितस्तदा । शाखा: स्कन्धान्‌ प्रशाखाश्न स्वयमेव व्यशातयत्‌,भीष्मजीने कहा--राजन्‌! मन-ही-मन ऐसा विचारकर सेमलने क्षुभित हो अपनी शाखाओं, डालियों तथा टहनियोंको स्वयं ही नीचे गिरा दिया

Transliteration

Bhīṣma uvāca: tato niścitya manasā śālmalī kṣubhitas tadā | śākhāḥ skandhān praśākhāś ca svayam eva vyaśātayat ||

Translation

Bhishma said: “Then, having resolved within his mind, the śālmalī tree became agitated. At that moment it caused its own branches, boughs, and offshoots to fall down by itself.”

Word by Word

ततःthen/from there

निश्चित्यhaving ascertained/decided

मनसाwith the mind

शाल्मलिःthe śālmali tree (silk-cotton tree)

क्षुभितःagitated/disturbed

तदाat that time

शाखाःbranches

स्कन्धान्boughs/trunks (main limbs)

प्रशाखाःsub-branches

चand

स्वयम्by oneself

एवindeed/itself

व्यशातयत्caused to fall/cut down/dropped

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

Śālmalī (silk-cotton tree)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The passage supports a practical dharmic lesson: one should act with foresight and self-restraint, and avoid provoking conflict—especially with those who are stronger—choosing de-escalation over prideful confrontation.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma narrates that the śālmalī tree, after deciding internally, becomes agitated and makes its own branches and offshoots fall—an image of deliberate self-limitation to avert greater harm in a situation of danger.