Shloka 37

अम्बा–राम–भीष्म संवादः

Amba–Rama–Bhishma Dialogue on Vow and Refuge

Devanagari script

तमहं गीर्भिरिष्टाभि: पुन: पुनररिंदम | अयाचं भृगुशार्दूलं न चैव प्रशशाम सः

Transliteration

tam ahaṁ gīrbhir iṣṭābhiḥ punaḥ punar ariṁdama | ayācaṁ bhṛguśārdūlaṁ na caiva praśaśāma saḥ ||

Translation

O subduer of foes, I repeatedly entreated the tiger among the Bhṛgus with words meant to please and pacify; yet he did not calm down at all.

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'tam', 'definition': 'him (that person)'}, {'term': 'aham', 'definition': 'I'}, {'term': 'gīrbhiḥ', 'definition': 'with words, with speech (instrumental plural of gīr)'}, {'term': 'iṣṭābhiḥ', 'definition': 'dear, pleasing, agreeable (instrumental plural)'}, {'term': 'punaḥ punaḥ', 'definition': 'again and again, repeatedly'}, {'term': 'ariṁdama', 'definition': 'subduer of enemies (vocative

• epithet of the addressee)'}, {'term': 'ayācam', 'definition': 'I begged, I entreated (1st person singular imperfect/aorist usage)'}, {'term': 'bhṛguśārdūlam', 'definition': 'the tiger among the Bhṛgus

• a superlative epithet for a Bhṛgu-descended sage/warrior (here: Paraśurāma)'}, {'term': 'na ca eva', 'definition': 'and yet not

• nevertheless not'}, {'term': 'praśaśāma', 'definition': 'became calm, was pacified (perfect/preterite of √śam)'}, {'term': 'saḥ', 'definition': 'he'}]

Speaker

राम उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Rama (Paraśurāma)
• Duryodhana

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in the face of intense provocation, one should attempt to restrain anger through gentle, pleasing, and repeated counsel; however, the verse also acknowledges that persuasion may fail when wrath has fully taken hold.

What is happening in the narrative?

Rāma (Paraśurāma), addressed as a fierce figure among the Bhṛgus, is in a state of anger. The speaker says he repeatedly tried to pacify him with agreeable words, but Paraśurāma would not become calm.