Shloka 53

भीष्मदर्शनार्थं प्रस्थानम्

Departure to Behold Bhīṣma

Devanagari script

इति श्रीमहाभारते शान्तिपर्वणि राजधर्मानुशासनपर्वणि भीष्माभिगमने त्रिपड्चाशत्तमो5ध्याय:

Transliteration

iti śrīmahābhārate śāntiparvaṇi rājadharmānuśāsanaparvaṇi bhīṣmābhigamane tripañcāśattamo 'dhyāyaḥ

Translation

ഇതി ശ്രീമഹാഭാരതത്തിലെ ശാന്തിപർവത്തിൽ രാജധർമ്മാനുശാസനപർവത്തിൽ ‘ഭീഷ്മാഭിഗമനം’ എന്ന ത്രിപഞ്ചാശത്തമോ അധ്യായം സമാപ്തം.

Word by Word

इतिthus; end-quote marker

श्रीमहाभारतेin the holy Mahabharata

शान्तिपर्वणिin the Shanti Parva

राजधर्मानुशासनपर्वणिin the section (parvan) on instruction in royal duties

भीष्माभिगमनेin (the topic of) the approach/visit to Bhishma

त्रिपञ्चाशत्तमःfifty-third

अध्यायःchapter

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Śrī Mahābhārata

Śānti Parva

Rājadharmānuśāsana Parva

Bhīṣma

Vaiśampāyana

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

This verse is a colophon rather than a doctrinal statement: it signals that the text is organized as an ethical-political instruction on rājadharma (the duties of a ruler). By naming the section and episode, it emphasizes that Bhīṣma’s counsel is treated as an authoritative guide for righteous governance and social order.

What is happening in the narrative?

The chapter concludes with a formal closing line identifying the work (Mahābhārata), the larger book (Śānti Parva), the sub-section (instruction on royal duty), and the episode theme (approaching Bhīṣma). It marks the end of Chapter 53 and frames the transition into subsequent teachings connected with Bhīṣma.