Shloka 203

भीष्मदर्शनार्थं प्रस्थानम्

Departure to Behold Bhīṣma

Devanagari script

मेघघोषै रथवरै: प्रययुस्ते नरर्षभा: । रथपर बैठे-बैठे ही उन सबने बातचीत की

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | meghaghoṣai rathavaraiḥ prayayus te nararṣabhāḥ |

Translation

वैशंपायन म्हणाले— मेघगर्जनेसारखा गंभीर नाद करणाऱ्या श्रेष्ठ रथांनी ते नरश्रेष्ठ निघाले. रथांवर बसूनच त्यांनी परस्पर संवाद केला आणि एकमेकांना रात्र सुखाने व्यतीत झाली का याची कुशलवार्ता विचारली; मग तेथून पुढे प्रस्थान केले.

Word by Word

• मेघघोषैः: with cloud-thundering (i.e., thunderous) [ones]
• मेघघोषैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मेघघोष
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• रथवरैः: with excellent chariots
• रथवरैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथवर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• प्रययुः: they went forth / departed
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (प्र + या)
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Plural

• ते: they
• ते: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• नरर्षभाः: bulls among men / best of men
• नरर्षभाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरर्षभ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• excellent chariots (rathavarāḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights cultured conduct (sadācāra): even powerful men maintain mutual respect, inquire after one another’s welfare, and proceed with discipline—an ethical tone consistent with Śānti Parva’s emphasis on right conduct and social harmony.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates that the foremost men depart from the place in splendid chariots whose sound is likened to thunderclouds; before leaving, they converse and exchange well-being inquiries about the night’s comfort.