Shloka 108
Devanagari script
छन््दतो मृत्युरित्येवं तस्य चास्तु वरस्तथा । धारयिष्ये ततः प्राणानुत्सगें नियते सति
Transliteration
chandato mṛtyur ity evaṃ tasya cāstu varas tathā | dhārayiṣye tataḥ prāṇān utsarge niyate sati ||
Translation
“અતએવ ‘મૃત્યુ મારી ઇચ્છાથી જ આવે’—એવો તે વર યથાવત્ સ્થિર રહે. તેથી પ્રાણત્યાગનો નિર્ધારિત સમય આવે ત્યાં સુધી હું પ્રાણો ધારણ કરી રાખીશ.”
Word by Word
छन्दतःaccording to (one's) will / at will
छन्दतः:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Rootछन्दस्
FormNeuter, Ablative, Singular
मृत्युःdeath
मृत्युः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootमृत्यु
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
इतिthus / saying
इति:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइति
एवम्in this manner
एवम्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएवम्
तस्यof him / his
तस्य:
Sambandha
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular
चand
च:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच
अस्तुlet it be
अस्तु:
TypeVerb
Rootअस्
FormImperative, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada
वरःboon
वरः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootवर
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
तथाso / likewise
तथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतथा
धारयिष्येI shall hold/retain
धारयिष्ये:
TypeVerb
Rootधृ
FormSimple Future, 1st, Singular, Atmanepada
ततःthen / thereafter
ततः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootततः
प्राणान्life-breaths / vital airs
प्राणान्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootप्राण
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
उत्सर्गेat (the time of) relinquishing/abandoning
उत्सर्गे:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootउत्सर्ग
FormMasculine, Locative, Singular
नियतेwhen fixed/appointed
नियते:
Adhikarana
TypeAdjective
Rootनियत
FormMasculine, Locative, Singular
सतिwhen (it) is / being
सति:
Adhikarana
TypeKridanta
Rootसत्
FormMasculine, Locative, Singular, present active participle (locative absolute)
Speaker
संजय उवाच
Characters & Entities
S
SañjayaT
the boon of death-at-will (icchā-mṛtyu)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights self-mastery and fidelity to a vow/boon: life is sustained not by impulse but by disciplined resolve, and death is approached as a consciously accepted, ethically timed act rather than a mere accident.
In the war narrative, the speaker reports a resolve to postpone death until the predetermined moment, so that an earlier boon—granting death only by one’s own choice—remains effective and fulfilled.