Shloka 16

Devanagari script

अन्तरिक्षचराणां च दानवोत्तम पक्षिणाम्‌ | उत्तिष्ठते यथाकाल मृत्युर्बलवतामपि,“दानवश्रेष्ठी] आकाशमें विचरनेवाले बलवान पक्षियोंके समक्ष भी यथासमय मृत्यु आ पहुँचती है

Transliteration

antarikṣacarāṇāṃ ca dānavottama pakṣiṇām | uttiṣṭhate yathākālaṃ mṛtyur balavatām api ||

Translation

Bhishma said: “Even for the mightiest birds that roam the sky—those foremost among the Dānava-born—Death rises up at its appointed time.”

Word by Word

• अन्तरिक्षचराणाम्: of the sky-roaming (ones)
• अन्तरिक्षचराणाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तरिक्षचर
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• दानवोत्तमपक्षिणाम्: of the best of birds (i.e., very powerful birds)
• दानवोत्तमपक्षिणाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानवोत्तमपक्षिन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• उत्तिष्ठते: arises / comes forth
• Type: Verb
• Root: उत्-स्था
• Form: Present, Indicative, Third, Singular, Atmanepada

• यथा: as / just as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• कालम्: at the (proper) time
• कालम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• मृत्युः: death
• मृत्युः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत्यु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• बलवताम्: of the strong
• बलवताम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलवत्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• अपि: even / also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Mṛtyu (Death)
• Dānava
• pakṣi (birds)
• antarikṣa (sky/mid-air)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Death comes inevitably at its appointed time; neither strength, status, nor extraordinary ability can overrule Kāla (Time). The ethical implication is humility and right living (dharma) rather than reliance on power.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhīṣma’s instruction in the Śānti Parva, he underscores a universal truth through an image: even powerful sky-roaming birds (described as foremost among Dānava-kind) cannot escape death when the time arrives.