Shloka 98

धर्मस्य बहुद्वारत्वम् — Nārada’s Audience with Indra (Śānti-parva 340)

Devanagari script

शिशुपालं वधिष्यामि यज्ञे धर्मसुतस्य वै । समागतेषु बलिषु पृथिव्यां सर्वराजसु,धर्मपुत्र युधिष्ठिरके यज्ञमें भूमण्डलके समस्त बलवान राजा पधारेंगे, उनके बीचमें मैं शिशुपालका वध कर डालूँगा

Transliteration

śiśupālaṃ vadhiṣyāmi yajñe dharmasutasya vai | samāgateṣu baliṣu pṛthivyāṃ sarvarājasu ||

Translation

Bhīṣma said: “At the sacrifice of Dharmasuta (Yudhiṣṭhira), when all the kings of the earth—mighty and eminent—have assembled, I will slay Śiśupāla in their very presence.”

Word by Word

शिशुपालम्Shishupala (as object)

वधिष्यामिI shall kill

यज्ञेin the sacrifice

धर्मसुतस्यof Dharma's son (Yudhishthira)

वैindeed / surely

समागतेषुwhen (they) have assembled / among those assembled

बलिषुamong the mighty/strong ones (kings)

पृथिव्याम्on the earth

सर्वराजसुamong all the kings

Speaker

(भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

Śiśupāla

Yudhiṣṭhira (Dharmasuta/Dharmaputra)

yajña (royal sacrifice)

pṛthivī (the earth)

sarvarāja (all kings)

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 highlights how acts of punishment or violence are framed within dharma and public legitimacy: a kṣatriya’s severe action is presented as tied to royal ritual, communal witness, and the maintenance of order among rulers, rather than as a merely personal act.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma declares that during Yudhiṣṭhira’s great sacrifice—when all powerful kings have gathered—Śiśupāla will be slain in that assembly, emphasizing the public and politically charged setting of the act.