Shloka 107
तस्मात् प्राणान् धारयिष्ये मुमूर्षुरुदगायने । यश्न दत्तो वरो महां पित्रा तेन महात्मना
tasmāt prāṇān dhārayiṣye mumūrṣur udagāyane | yasya datto varo mahān pitrā tena mahātmanā ||
“Karena itu, meski aku rindu berangkat, aku akan menahan napas hidupku demi memperoleh wafat pada uttarāyaṇa. Semoga anugerah agung yang dahulu dianugerahkan ayahku yang mulia—bahwa aku akan menemui maut hanya menurut kehendakku—benar-benar terpenuhi. Hingga tiba saat yang telah ditetapkan untuk melepaskan hidup, pasti akan kutahan napas ini.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights self-control and fidelity to a vow: even when death is desired, one may uphold dharma by sustaining life until the rightful, chosen, and cosmically appropriate time—honoring a boon and exercising disciplined agency over one’s end.
Bhīṣma, lying on the battlefield, resolves to keep himself alive until uttarāyaṇa. He intends to make true the boon from his father that he can die at will, so he restrains his prāṇas until the moment he chooses to depart.