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
ഹേ താതാ! ഒരിക്കൽ ആ ഋഷി അപ്പോൾ യജ്ഞം ചെയ്യാൻ മനസ്സുറപ്പിച്ചു.
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.