Shloka 20

Śikhaṇḍī-janma-nigūḍha-vṛtta (The concealed birth-account of Śikhaṇḍī) | शिखण्डी-जन्म-निगूढ-वृत्त

Devanagari script

शिखण्डिनि च मा भैस्त्वं विधास्ये तत्र तत्त्वतः । कृपयाहं वरारोहे वज्चित: पुत्रधर्मत:

Transliteration

śikhaṇḍini ca mā bhaistvaṃ vidhāsye tatra tattvataḥ | kṛpayāhaṃ varārohe vañcitaḥ putradharmataḥ ||

Translation

અને શિખંડિની વિષે તું ભય ન કર. ત્યાં હું તત્ત્વને સંપૂર્ણ રીતે વિચારીને જ વર્તીશ. વરારોહે! કરુણાથી હું પુત્રધર્મથી બંધાઈ ગયો છું—જાણે વંચિત થયો હોઉં તેમ.

Word by Word

शिखण्डिनिin/with regard to Śikhaṇḍin

चand

माdo not

भैःfear

त्वम्you

विधास्येI shall arrange/bring about

तत्रthere

तत्त्वतःtruly; in reality; correctly

कृपयाout of compassion

अहम्I

वरारोहेO fair-hipped one (O noble lady)

वञ्चितःdeceived; cheated

पुत्रधर्मतःfrom the duty of a son; as regards filial duty

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

Śikhaṇḍinī

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

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights a dharmic tension: compassion and filial obligation can compel one into difficult choices, yet one should still strive to act ‘tattvataḥ’—with clear discernment of truth and right conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma reassures the addressed woman not to fear concerning Śikhaṇḍinī, promising to handle the matter properly, while admitting that compassion and the duty connected with a son have placed him in a constrained or deceived position.