Shloka 13

Devanagari script

अभ्यागच्छं तदा राममर्चिष्यन्‌ द्विजसत्तमम्‌ । अभिवाद्य चैनं विधिवदब्रुवं वाक्यमुत्तमम्‌,जब वे तीन बार मेरे ऊपर बाणोंका प्रहार कर चुके, तब मैं घोड़ोंकी रोककर और धनुष रखकर रथसे उतर गया और उन ब्राह्मणशिरोमणि मुनिप्रवर परशुरामजीका समादर करनेके लिये पैदल ही उनके पास गया। जाकर विधिपूर्वक उन्हें प्रणाम करनेके पश्चात्‌ यह उत्तम वचन बोला--

Transliteration

abhyāgacchaṁ tadā rāmaṁ arcīṣyan dvijasattamam | abhivādya cainaṁ vidhivad abruvaṁ vākyam uttamam ||

Translation

Bhishma said: “Then I approached Rama (Parashurama), wishing to honor that foremost of Brahmins. Having duly saluted him according to proper rite, I addressed him with fitting and noble words.”

Word by Word

अभ्यागच्छम्I approached

तदाthen

रामम्Rama (Parashurama)

अर्चिष्यन्worshipping / honoring

द्विजसत्तमम्the best of Brahmins

अभिवाद्यhaving saluted

चand

एनम्him

विधिवत्according to rule / duly

अब्रुवम्I said

वाक्यम्speech / words

उत्तमम्excellent

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

Rama (Parashurama)

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?

Even amid conflict, dharma requires restraint and reverence: a kshatriya like Bhishma maintains ritual and ethical propriety by honoring a revered Brahmin-warrior (Parashurama) before speaking, showing that respect and right conduct are not suspended by battle.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Bhishma–Parashurama confrontation, Bhishma narrates that he went up to Parashurama with the intention to honor him, formally greeted him according to prescribed etiquette, and then began to speak—setting a tone of disciplined respect before the ensuing exchange.