Shloka 29

Śikhaṇḍinī’s Marriage Arrangement and the Daśārṇa Envoy’s Accusation (शिखण्डिनी-विवाह-विप्रलम्भ-प्रसङ्गः)

Devanagari script

प्रतिज्ञातो हि भवता दुःखप्रतिशमो मम । भवेयं पुरुषो यक्ष त्वत्प्रसादादनिन्दित:

Transliteration

pratijñāto hi bhavatā duḥkhapratiśamo mama | bhaveyaṃ puruṣo yakṣa tvatprasādādaninditaḥ ||

Translation

Dijo Bhīṣma: «Pues tú me has prometido, en verdad, el fin de mi aflicción. Oh Yakṣa, por tu gracia, que yo vuelva a ser un hombre—sin mancha y sin reproche».

Word by Word

प्रतिज्ञातःpromised

हिindeed/for

भवताby you

दुःखप्रतिशमःcessation/relief of sorrow

ममof me/my

भवेयम्may I become

पुरुषःa man

यक्षO Yaksha

त्वत्प्रसादात्from your favor/grace

अनिन्दितःblameless/unreproached

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

Yakṣa

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights ethical reliance on a pledged word (pratijñā) and the ideal of becoming “anindita”—restored not merely in form but in moral standing—through rightful relief from suffering granted by a higher power’s favor.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma addresses a Yakṣa, reminding him of a promise to end Bhīṣma’s suffering, and requests restoration to human status through the Yakṣa’s grace, emphasizing the binding nature of the promise and the desire for an honorable, blameless return.