Shloka 20
Devaśarmā–Vipula Dialogue on Ahorātra–Ṛtu as Moral Witnesses (अनुशासन पर्व, अध्याय ४३)
Devanagari script
स कदाचिदृषिस्तात यज्ञं कर्तुमनास्तदा
Transliteration
sa kadācid ṛṣis tāta yajñaṃ kartum anās tadā
Translation
Pada suatu ketika, wahai anakku, sang resi pun meniatkan diri untuk melaksanakan yajña.
Word by Word
सःhe
सः:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
कदाचित्once, at some time
कदाचित्:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकदाचित्
ऋषिःsage
ऋषिः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootऋषि
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
तातO dear (sir/son)
तात:
TypeNoun
Rootतात
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
यज्ञम्sacrifice, ritual
यज्ञम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootयज्ञ
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
कर्तुम्to do, to perform
कर्तुम्:
TypeVerb
Rootकृ
Formतुमुन्, Parasmaipada/Atmanepada-neutral (infinitive), Infinitive (purpose)
मनाःmind; (as in) intent
मनाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootमनस्
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
तदाthen, at that time
तदा:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतदा
Speaker
भीष्म उवाच
Characters & Entities
B
BhīṣmaṚ
ṛṣi (unnamed sage)Y
yajña (sacrifice)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds the ethical-religious ideal that a sage deliberately undertakes yajña (sacrificial duty) with conscious intention, presenting ritual action as a purposeful, dharma-aligned commitment rather than a casual act.
Bhīṣma continues a story and introduces a turning point: an unnamed sage, addressed affectionately as “tāta,” decides at a particular time to perform a yajña, setting the stage for the events and moral implications that follow.