Mahabharata 1.103.11 — Adi Parva, Adhyaya 103, Shloka 11

Ādi Parva, Adhyāya 103 — Dhṛtarāṣṭra–Gāndhārī Vivāha: Proposal, Consent, and the Vow

Devanagari script

भीष्मस्तदा स्वयं कन्या वरयामास ता: प्रभु: । उवाच च महीपालान्‌ राजज्जलदनि:स्वन:

Transliteration

bhīṣmas tadā svayaṃ kanyā varayāmāsa tāḥ prabhuḥ | uvāca ca mahīpālān rājajjaladaniḥsvanaḥ ||

Translation

ಆಗ ಪರಾಕ್ರಮಶಾಲಿ ಪ್ರಭುವಾದ ಭೀಷ್ಮನು ಸ್ವತಃ ಆ ಕನ್ಯೆಯರನ್ನು ವರಿಸಿದನು. ಮತ್ತು ಮೋಡಗುಡುಗಿನಂತೆ ಗಂಭೀರ ಧ್ವನಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಅವನು ಎಲ್ಲ ರಾಜರನ್ನು ಉದ್ದೇಶಿಸಿ ಹೇಳಿದನು.

Word by Word

• भीष्मः: Bhishma
• भीष्मः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

• स्वयम्: himself
• स्वयम्: Karta
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम्

• कन्याः: maidens
• कन्याः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्या
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Plural

• वरयामास: chose / selected (as brides)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृ (वरणे)
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• ताः: those (women)
• ताः: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Plural

• प्रभुः: the lord / mighty one
• प्रभुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (वदने)
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• महीपालान्: kings (protectors of the earth)
• महीपालान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: महीपाल
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• राजत्: shining
• Type: Adjective
• Root: राजत्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• जलद: cloud
• Type: Noun
• Root: जलद
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• निःस्वनः: sound / roar
• Type: Noun
• Root: निःस्वन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• kanyāḥ (maidens/princesses)
• mahīpālāḥ (kings)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The passage juxtaposes socially sanctioned marriage-giving (brāhma, ārṣa) with a forceful kṣatriya-style assertion of claim, highlighting the ethical tension between dharma as orderly social rite and dharma as martial prerogative that can trigger violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma publicly claims the maidens and addresses the gathered kings in a thunderous voice, effectively challenging any rival claim and setting the stage for confrontation among the rulers.