Shloka 40

अम्बा–राम–भीष्म संवादः

Amba–Rama–Bhishma Dialogue on Vow and Refuge

Devanagari script

ततो मामब्रवीद्‌ राम: क्रोधसंरक्तलोचन: । जानीषे मां गुरुं भीष्म गृह्नलासीमां न चैव ह

Transliteration

tato mām abravīd rāmaḥ krodha-saṃrakta-locanaḥ | jānīṣe māṃ guruṃ bhīṣma gṛhṇalāsīmāṃ na caiva ha ||

Translation

Then Rāma (Paraśurāma), his eyes reddened with anger, spoke to me: “Bhīṣma, you acknowledge me as your teacher; yet you do not accept this princess of Kāśī for my sake.”

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः
• Form: indeclinable (ablatival adverb)

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: gender: —, case: accusative, number: singular

• अब्रवीत्: said, spoke
• अब्रवीत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू
• Form: tense: imperfect (laṅ), person: 3rd, number: singular

• रामः: Rama (Paraśurāma)
• रामः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम
• Form: gender: masculine, case: nominative, number: singular

• क्रोधसंरक्तलोचनः: whose eyes were reddened with anger
• क्रोधसंरक्तलोचनः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रोध-संरक्त-लोचन
• Form: gender: masculine, case: nominative, number: singular

• जानीषे: you know / you consider
• जानीषे: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा
• Form: tense: present (laṭ), person: 2nd, number: singular, voice: ātmanepada

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: gender: —, case: accusative, number: singular

• गुरुम्: as (your) teacher
• गुरुम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु
• Form: gender: masculine, case: accusative, number: singular

• भीष्म: O Bhishma
• भीष्म: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म
• Form: gender: masculine, case: vocative, number: singular

• गृह्णलासि: you take / you accept
• गृह्णलासि: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह्
• Form: tense: present (laṭ), person: 2nd, number: singular

• इमाम्: this (woman)
• इमाम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: gender: feminine, case: accusative, number: singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न
• Form: indeclinable (negation)

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च
• Form: indeclinable (conjunction)

• एव: indeed, just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव
• Form: indeclinable (emphasis)

• ह: indeed (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह
• Form: indeclinable (particle)

Speaker

राम उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Paraśurāma
• Bhīṣma
• Kāśī (implied by context of the princess)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical tension between reverence for one’s guru and adherence to one’s own vow and dharma. Paraśurāma frames obedience as a test of discipleship, while the larger episode questions whether authority can compel actions that violate personal commitments and the agency of others.

What is happening in the narrative?

Paraśurāma, angered, confronts Bhīṣma and demands that he accept the Kāśī princess (Amba) for Paraśurāma’s sake. This demand becomes a catalyst for the famous Bhīṣma–Paraśurāma conflict, rooted in Amba’s rejected marriage and Bhīṣma’s vow of celibacy.