Shloka 36

अध्याय २८१ — दानधर्मः, न्यायागतधनम्, ऋणत्रय-परिशोधनं च

Dāna ethics, lawful wealth, and settling obligations

Devanagari script

ततो वृक्षौषधितृणं समाहूय पितामह: । इममर्थ महाराज वक्तुं समुपचक्रमे

Transliteration

tato vṛkṣauṣadhitṛṇaṃ samāhūya pitāmahaḥ | imam arthaṃ mahārāja vaktuṃ samupacakrame ||

Translation

Then the Grandsire summoned the trees, medicinal herbs, and grasses, and, O great king, began to speak on this matter—setting the stage for an instruction meant to clarify the point at hand and its rightful understanding.

Word by Word

ततःthen, thereafter

वृक्षtree(s)

औषधिherb(s), medicinal plant(s)

तृणम्grass

समाहूयhaving summoned/called together

पितामहःthe grandsire (Bhīṣma)

इमम्this

अर्थम्matter, meaning, point

महाराजO great king

वक्तुम्to speak, to tell

समुपचक्रमेbegan, set about

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma (Pitāmaha)

Mahārāja (the king addressed, i.e., Yudhiṣṭhira in context)

Trees (vṛkṣa)

Medicinal herbs (auṣadhi)

Grasses (tṛṇa)

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?

The verse functions as a narrative preface: Bhīṣma formally convenes the natural world (trees, herbs, grasses) as an audience or witness and begins an explanation. It signals that the forthcoming teaching is meant to be authoritative and carefully grounded, often implying a dharmic clarification supported by exempla from nature.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma, addressing the king, calls together trees, medicinal plants, and grasses, and then commences his discourse on the topic under discussion. The scene frames the instruction as a solemn, wide-ranging exposition, with nature itself figuratively gathered to hear.