Shloka 3

मातङ्ग–शक्रसंवादः

Mataṅga–Śakra Dialogue on Tapas, Status, and Moral Qualities

Devanagari script

शयानं वीरशयने कालाकाड्'क्षिणमच्युतम्‌ । आज ममुर्भरतश्रेष्ठ द्रष्टकामा महर्षय:

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | śayānaṃ vīraśayane kālākāṅkṣiṇam acyutam | ājagmur bharataśreṣṭha draṣṭukāmā maharṣayaḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana dit : Ô le meilleur des Bhārata, tandis que Bhīṣma gisait sur le lit du héros fait de flèches, ferme et inébranlable, attendant l’heure de mort qui lui était assignée, de nombreux grands sages —désireux de le voir— vinrent en ce lieu. La scène met en relief la maîtrise de soi de Bhīṣma jusque dans la souffrance, et la vénération des ṛṣis pour une vie vouée au devoir.

Word by Word

• शयानम्: lying down
• शयानम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शी (धातु) → शय (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• वीर-शयने: on the hero’s bed (bed of arrows)
• वीर-शयने: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर + शयन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• कालात्: from Time / from death-time
• कालात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• आकाङ्क्षिणम्: desiring, awaiting
• आकाङ्क्षिणम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ + काङ्क्ष् (धातु) → आकाङ्क्षिन् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अच्युतम्: Acyuta (Krishna)
• अच्युतम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अच्युत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• द्रष्ट-कामाः: wishing to see
• द्रष्ट-कामाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्रष्टृ (कृदन्त) + काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• महर्षयः: great sages
• महर्षयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महर्षि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Janamejaya
• Bhīṣma
• Maharṣis (great seers)
• Vīraśayana (bed of arrows)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even at the edge of death, Bhīṣma embodies steadiness and fidelity to dharma; the arrival of great seers signals that moral authority and disciplined life-command reverence beyond the battlefield.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma lies on the warrior’s bed of arrows, waiting for the appointed time to depart; at that moment many maharṣis come to see him, setting the stage for the ensuing instruction and questioning.