Shanti Parva Adhyaya 54 Shloka 8 - Mahabharata | Marathi | Vedapath

Vyasa

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Shloka 8

Śara-śayyā-sthita-bhīṣma-saṃvāda-prastāvaḥ

The Prelude to Questioning Bhīṣma on the Bed of Arrows

Devanagari script

प्राप्तकालं समाचक्षे भीष्मोडयमनुयुज्यताम्‌ । अस्तमेति हि गाड़ेयो भानुमानिव भारत

Transliteration

prāptakālaṃ samācakṣe bhīṣmoḍayam anuyujyatām | astam eti hi gāḍeyo bhānumān iva bhārata ||

Translation

वैशंपायन म्हणाले—(नारद म्हणाले) “आता योग्य वेळ आला आहे; शरशय्येवर असलेल्या या भीष्मांना प्रश्न विचारा. हे भारत! गंगानंदन भीष्म तेजस्वी सूर्याप्रमाणे आता अस्ताला जाणार आहेत.”

Word by Word

प्राप्तकालम्timely (proper at this time)

समाचक्षेI declare / I state

भीष्मम्Bhishma

उदयम्rising / ascent

अनुयुज्यताम्let (him) be questioned / let (him) be asked

अस्तम्to setting (towards disappearance)

एतिgoes

हिindeed / for

गाङ्गेयःthe son of Ganga (Bhishma)

भानुमान्the radiant one (the Sun)

इवlike / as

भारतO Bharata (descendant of Bharata)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśaṃpāyana

Bhīṣma

Bhārata (descendant of Bharata)

Bhānumān (the Sun)

Śaraśayyā (bed of arrows)

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 stresses timeliness in seeking wisdom: when a great teacher is nearing the end of life, one should promptly inquire into dharma and right conduct, because the opportunity to learn will soon pass.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśaṃpāyana signals that the moment has come for the kings—especially Yudhiṣṭhira—to question Bhīṣma, who lies on the śaraśayyā and is approaching death; Bhīṣma is compared to the sun nearing its setting.