Shloka 14

Bhīṣma’s Recollection of the Duel: Charioteer’s Fall, Brahmin Protection, and Portents after Rāma’s Collapse

Devanagari script

तत एनं परिष्वज्य सखा विप्रो महातपा: । अकृतदत्रण: शुभैर्वाक्यैराश्वासयदनेकथा,तब उनके महातपस्वी मित्र अकृतब्रणने उन्हें हृदयसे लगाकर सुन्दर वचनोंद्वारा अनेक प्रकारसे आश्वासन दिया

Transliteration

tata enaṁ pariṣvajya sakhā vipro mahātapāḥ | akṛtavraṇaḥ śubhair vākyair āśvāsayad anekathā ||

Translation

Then his Brahmin friend, a great ascetic named Akṛtavraṇa, embraced him and, with gracious and auspicious words, consoled him in many ways—restoring steadiness of mind through compassionate counsel.

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'tataḥ', 'definition': 'then

• thereafter'}, {'term': 'enaṁ', 'definition': 'him (accusative singular of enam)'}, {'term': 'pariṣvajya', 'definition': 'having embraced

• clasping closely (absolutive of pari-√svaj)'}, {'term': 'sakhā', 'definition': 'friend

• companion'}, {'term': 'vipraḥ', 'definition': 'a Brahmin

• learned priest'}, {'term': 'mahātapāḥ', 'definition': 'of great austerity

• great ascetic'}, {'term': 'akṛtavraṇaḥ', 'definition': "Akṛtavraṇa (proper name

• lit. 'one whose vow is unbroken/undone')"}, {'term': 'śubhaiḥ', 'definition': 'with auspicious, благоприятными (instrumental plural of śubha)'}, {'term': 'vākyaiḥ', 'definition': 'with words

• with utterances (instrumental plural of vākya)'}, {'term': 'āśvāsayat', 'definition': 'he consoled

• he reassured (causative imperfect of ā-√śvas)'}, {'term': 'anekathā', 'definition': 'in many ways

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Akṛtavraṇa (Brahmin friend)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights an ethical ideal: compassion expressed through both action (embrace) and speech (auspicious, steadying words). Consolation is presented as a dharmic response to distress—supporting another’s mind without harshness, and restoring courage through considerate counsel.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma narrates that a great ascetic Brahmin, Akṛtavraṇa, embraces his distressed friend and reassures him repeatedly, using gentle and auspicious speech in many forms to calm and strengthen him.