Shloka 18

Devanagari script

ततः सा चिन्तयामास मत्कृते दुःखितावुभौ । इमाविति ततक्षक्रे मतिं प्राणविनाशने,इन दोनोंको इस प्रकार शोकमग्न होकर बातचीत करते देख उनकी तपस्विनी पुत्री शिखण्डिनी लज्जित-सी होकर इस प्रकार चिन्ता करने लगी--'ये मेरे माता और पिता दोनों मेरे ही कारण दुःखी हो रहे हैं।। ऐसा सोचकर उसने प्राण त्याग देनेका विचार किया

Transliteration

tataḥ sā cintayāmāsa matkṛte duḥkhitāv ubhau | imāv iti tataḥ cakre matiṁ prāṇavināśane ||

Translation

तेव्हा तिने विचार केला—‘माझ्यामुळेच हे दोघे, आई आणि वडील, दुःखी आहेत।’ असे ठरवून तिने प्राणत्यागाचा निश्चय केला।

Word by Word

ततःthen, thereafter

साshe

चिन्तयामासthought, reflected

मत्कृतेbecause of me, for my sake

दुःखितौafflicted, sorrowful (two persons)

उभौboth

इमौthese two

इतिthus

ततःthen

चक्रेmade, formed (for herself)

मतिम्intention, resolve

प्राणविनाशनेin (the act of) destroying life; in suicide

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

Śikhaṇḍinī

Śikhaṇḍinī's mother

Śikhaṇḍinī's father

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 warns that intense shame and misplaced self-blame can lead to adharma such as self-destruction; ethical action lies in seeking a righteous remedy rather than choosing prāṇavināśa when one’s situation causes family suffering.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma narrates that Śikhaṇḍinī, seeing her parents grieving because of her, feels ashamed and concludes that she is the cause of their sorrow; she therefore resolves to give up her life.