Shloka 21

Devanagari script

तथा कथान्ते राजर्षिभिगुश्रेष्ठ महाबलम्‌ । उवाच मधुरं काले रामं वचनमर्थवत्‌,बातचीतके अन्तमें राजर्षि होत्रवाहनने महाबली भृगुश्रेष्ठ परशुरामजीसे मधुर वाणीमें उस समय यह अर्थयुक्त वचन कहा--

Transliteration

tathā kathānte rājarṣibhir guśreṣṭha mahābalam | uvāca madhuraṁ kāle rāmaṁ vacanam arthavat ||

Translation

Thus, at the close of the discussion, the royal sage Hotravāhana addressed Rāma (Paraśurāma), the mighty foremost of the Bhṛgus, and at the proper moment, in a gentle tone, spoke words weighty with meaning—counsel meant to guide conduct rather than merely to win an argument.

Word by Word

तथाthus, in that manner

कथा-अन्तेat the end of the conversation/story

राजर्षिःthe royal sage

भृगु-श्रेष्ठम्the best of the Bhṛgus

महाबलम्mighty, of great strength

उवाचsaid, spoke

मधुरम्sweetly, pleasant

कालेat the time, in due time

रामम्to Rāma (Paraśurāma)

वचनम्a speech, words

अर्थवत्meaningful, significant

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

Hotravāhana

Rāma (Paraśurāma)

Bhṛgu (clan/lineage)

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 ethical speech: counsel should be offered at the proper time (kāle), in a gentle manner (madhuram), and with real substance (arthavat). Strength or status is secondary to meaningful, well-timed words that guide dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma narrates that, as the conversation concludes, the royal sage Hotravāhana addresses Paraśurāma—praised as the mighty foremost of the Bhṛgus—and begins to speak a significant, well-chosen statement.