Shloka 15

Bhīṣma on the Śara-Śayyā: Yudhiṣṭhira and Kṛṣṇa Approach the Eldest for Śānti

Devanagari script

वरदानात्‌ पितु: काम॑ छन्‍्दमृत्युरसि प्रभो । शान्तनोर्ध्मनित्यस्य न त्वेतन्‍्मम कारणम्‌

Transliteration

varadānāt pituḥ kāmaṃ chanda-mṛtyur asi prabho | śāntanor dharma-nityasya na tv etan mama kāraṇam ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana dit : «Ô seigneur, par la grâce accordée par ton père, tu as obtenu la maîtrise de la mort selon ton vouloir. Śāntanu demeurant sans cesse ferme dans le dharma, c’est par son don que la mort ne vient à toi que lorsque tu la choisis ; cela ne procède d’aucun pouvoir de ma part.»

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'varadānāt', 'definition': 'from the granting of a boon

• by a boon'}, {'term': 'pituḥ', 'definition': 'of (your) father'}, {'term': 'kāmam', 'definition': 'according to desire

• at will'}, {'term': 'chanda-mṛtyuḥ (icchā-mṛtyuḥ)', 'definition': 'death at will

• the ability to choose the time of death'}, {'term': 'asi', 'definition': 'you are'}, {'term': 'prabho', 'definition': 'O lord

• O mighty one'}, {'term': 'śāntanoḥ', 'definition': 'of Śāntanu'}, {'term': 'dharma-nityasya', 'definition': 'of one constant/steadfast in dharma'}, {'term': 'na', 'definition': 'not'}, {'term': 'tat', 'definition': 'that'}, {'term': 'mama', 'definition': 'my

• of me'}, {'term': 'kāraṇam', 'definition': 'cause

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Śāntanu

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical power of dharma-backed promises: a boon granted by a righteous father becomes an enduring moral and metaphysical guarantee, showing how integrity and rightful authority can shape destiny (here, mastery over the timing of death).

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana explains that the addressee’s ability to die only when he wishes is not due to the speaker’s agency; it is the direct effect of Śāntanu’s boon, given by a king described as unwavering in dharma.