Shloka 96

Devanagari script

दातुमिच्छति सर्वेषां सुहृदामौर्ध्वदेहिकम्‌ । 'भैया भीम! राजा धृतराष्ट्र हमारे ताऊ और वृद्ध पुरुष हैं। इस समय वे वनवासकी दीक्षा ले चुके हैं और जानेके पहले वे भीष्म आदि समस्त सुहृदोंका और्ध्वदेहिक श्राद्ध कर लेना चाहते हैं

Transliteration

dātum icchati sarveṣāṁ suhṛdām aurdhvadehikam |

Translation

Vaiśampāyana dit : «Dhṛtarāṣṭra, désireux de partir après avoir pris le vœu du forestier, veut accomplir et offrir les rites aurdhvadehika pour tous ses proches bienveillants : des offrandes funéraires et des śrāddha après la crémation, qui honorent les morts et acquittent les devoirs envers les aînés et les compagnons.»

Word by Word

• दातुम्: to give
• दातुम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (दाने)
• Form: तुमुन् (infinitive), परस्मैपद-भाव (infinitival usage)

• इच्छति: wishes/desires
• इच्छति: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष् (इच्छायाम्)
• Form: लट्, परस्मैपद, 3, singular, present indicative

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• सर्वेषाम्: Sampradana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: masculine/neuter, genitive, plural

• सुहृदाम्: of friends/well-wishers
• सुहृदाम्: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुहृद्
• Form: masculine, genitive, plural

• और्ध्वदेहिकम्: funeral/after-death (rite)
• और्ध्वदेहिकम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: और्ध्वदेहिक
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• suhṛd (well-wishers/kinsmen)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even at the threshold of renunciation, dharma includes completing one’s obligations—especially honoring the departed through prescribed rites. The verse highlights ethical continuity: withdrawal from worldly life should be accompanied by gratitude, remembrance, and responsible closure.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana reports that Dhṛtarāṣṭra, having undertaken the forest-dweller discipline, wishes to perform the aurdhvadehika śrāddha offerings for all his well-wishers—signaling a final act of duty and reconciliation before leaving for the forest.