Shloka 20

पाण्डोः श्राद्धं, सत्यवत्याः वनगमनम्, बाल्यस्पर्धा च

Pāṇḍu’s Śrāddha, Satyavatī’s Withdrawal, and Childhood Rivalry

Devanagari script

एतया सतत धृत्या चरन्नेवंप्रकारया । देहं संस्थापयिष्यामि निर्भयं मार्गमास्थित:,सदा इस प्रकारकी धृति (धारणा)-द्वारा उक्त रूपसे व्यवहार करता हुआ भयरहित मोक्षमार्गमें स्थित होकर इस देहका विसर्जन करूँगा

Transliteration

etayā satata-dhṛtyā carann evaṁprakārayā | dehaṁ saṁsthāpayiṣyāmi nirbhayaṁ mārgam āsthitaḥ sadā ||

Translation

वैशम्पायन म्हणाले—“अशी सतत धृति धारण करून, याच प्रकारे आचरण करीत, निर्भय मोक्षमार्गात स्थित राहून, मी अखेरीस हा देह त्यागीन.”

Word by Word

एतयाby this

सततम्always, continually

धृत्याby steadfastness, by resolve

चरन्acting, conducting oneself

एवंthus

प्रकारयाby (such) a manner/way

देहम्the body

संस्थापयिष्यामिI shall establish/compose (i.e., set right)

निर्भयम्fearless, free from fear

मार्गम्path

आस्थितःhaving taken to, abiding in

सदाalways

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

deha (body)

mokṣa-mārga (path to liberation, implied)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse emphasizes sustained dhṛti—steady inner resolve—as the means to live rightly and remain established on a fearless spiritual path, culminating in calm relinquishment of the body (acceptance of death without anxiety).

What is happening in the narrative?

In Vaiśampāyana’s narration, a speaker expresses a vow-like determination: by maintaining constant firmness of mind and living accordingly, he will keep himself composed and continue on the liberation-oriented path, ultimately abandoning the body in due course.