Shloka 53

Devaśarmā–Vipula Dialogue on Ahorātra–Ṛtu as Moral Witnesses (अनुशासन पर्व, अध्याय ४३)

Devanagari script

तथाद्यावासयिष्यामि गुरुपत्न्या: कलेवरम्‌ । एवमेव शरीरे<5स्या निवत्स्यामि समाहित:

Transliteration

tathādyāvāsayiṣyāmi gurupatnyāḥ kalevaram | evam eva śarīre 'syā nivat-syāmi samāhitaḥ |

Translation

Bhishma said: “So today I shall cause myself to dwell within the body of the guru’s wife. In that very body I shall remain, collected and vigilant.” The statement frames his act as a disciplined, intentional entry undertaken with self-control, invoking the ethical tension between extraordinary means and the sanctity owed to a teacher’s household.

Word by Word

• तथा: thus, in that manner
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• अद्य: today, now
• अद्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य

• आवासयिष्यामि: I will cause (myself) to dwell / I will make (it) reside
• Type: Verb
• Root: वास् (निवासे) / वस् (निवासे)
• Form: Lृट् (simple future), परस्मैपदम्, 1, singular, कर्तरि, causative (णिच्)

• गुरुपत्न्याः: of the teacher's wife
• गुरुपत्न्याः: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरुपत्नी
• Form: feminine, genitive, singular

• कलेवरम्: body
• कलेवरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलेवर
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• एवम्: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम्

• एव: indeed, just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• शरीरे: in the body
• शरीरे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरीर
• Form: neuter, locative, singular

• अस्याः: of her
• अस्याः: Sambandha
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम् (स्त्रीलिङ्ग-प्रातिपदिकम्: अस्या-)
• Form: feminine, genitive, singular

• निवत्स्यामि: I will dwell, I will reside
• Type: Verb
• Root: वस् (निवासे) with नि-
• Form: लृट् (simple future), परस्मैपदम्, 1, singular, कर्तरि

• समाहितः: composed, collected, attentive
• समाहितः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-आ-धा (धातु: धा) → समाहित (past passive participle)
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• guru’s wife (gurupatnī)
• body (kalevara/śarīra)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse emphasizes deliberate self-restraint (samāhita) even when undertaking an unusual act, while highlighting the ethical sensitivity surrounding anything connected to the guru’s household; intention, discipline, and dharmic accountability are foregrounded.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma declares his resolve to enter and remain within the body of the guru’s wife, presenting it as a controlled, purposeful action carried out with vigilance and composure.