Shloka 39

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

Devanagari script

क्षत्रधर्म समास्थाय व्यपेतभयसम्भ्रम: । निवर्तयामास रथं शाल्वं प्रति महारथ:,महारथी भीष्मने क्षत्रिय-धर्मका आश्रय ले भय और घबराहट छोड़कर शाल्वकी ओर अपना रथ लौटाया

Transliteration

kṣatradharmaṃ samāsthāya vyapetabhayasambhramaḥ | nivartayāmāsa rathaṃ śālvaṃ prati mahārathaḥ ||

Translation

क्षत्रधर्माचा आधार घेऊन, भय व संभ्रम दूर करून त्या महारथी भीष्मांनी आपला रथ शाल्वाकडे वळविला—हिचकिचाहट नव्हे, कर्तव्यच निवडीत.

Word by Word

क्षत्रधर्मम्the duty of a kshatriya (warrior-duty)

समास्थायhaving resorted to / having taken up

व्यपेतभयसम्भ्रमःone whose fear and agitation had departed

निवर्तयामासturned back / caused to turn back

रथम्the chariot

शाल्वम्Shalva (proper name)

प्रतिtowards / against

महारथःthe great chariot-warrior

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Śālva

ratha (chariot)

mahāratha (great chariot-warrior)

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?

The verse highlights kṣatriya-dharma: when duty demands action, a warrior should act with steadiness—dispelling fear and confusion—and meet the challenge directly rather than retreating into hesitation.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates that the great chariot-warrior, regaining composure and grounding himself in the warrior’s duty, turns his chariot back toward Śālva to confront him.