Shloka 14

Devanagari script

अयं पितरमाज्ञाय कामार्त शान्तनुं पुरा । ऊर्ध्वरेतसमात्मानं चकार पुरुषर्षभ:,“इन्हीं पुरुषसिंहने पूर्वकालमें अपने पिता शान्तनुको कामासक्त जानकर अपने- आपको ऊउर्ध्वरेता (नैष्ठिक ब्रह्मचारी) बना लिया”

Transliteration

ayaṁ pitaram ājñāya kāmārtaṁ śāntanuṁ purā | ūrdhvaretasam ātmānaṁ cakāra puruṣarṣabhaḥ ||

Translation

Sanjaya said: Long ago, realizing that his father Śāntanu was tormented by desire, that bull among men made himself one of steadfast continence—choosing lifelong celibacy. In doing so, he subordinated personal pleasure to filial duty and the larger demands of dharma.

Word by Word

• अयम्: this (man)
• अयम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पितरम्: father
• पितरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आज्ञाय: having known/understood
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral here), Non-finite

• कामार्तम्: afflicted by desire
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कामार्त
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• शान्तनुम्: Śāntanu
• शान्तनुम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शान्तनु
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• पुरा: formerly/once
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा

• ऊर्ध्वरेतसम्: one of restrained semen; a strict celibate
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ऊर्ध्वरेतस्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आत्मानम्: himself
• आत्मानम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• चकार: made (became)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• पुरुषर्षभः: bull among men; best of men
• पुरुषर्षभः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुषर्षभ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• Shantanu
• Bhishma (Devavrata)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights ethical self-mastery: a noble person may renounce personal gratification to uphold duty—here, honoring a father’s situation and protecting the larger order (dharma) through disciplined continence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya recalls an earlier episode: Devavrata (later famed as Bhīṣma), seeing King Śāntanu overwhelmed by desire, resolves to become ūrdhvaretas—embracing lifelong celibacy as a decisive vow.