Shloka 42

Devanagari script

कि नु शक्‍्यं मया कर्तु गुरुदाराभिरक्षणे

Transliteration

ki nu śakyaṃ mayā kartuṃ gurudārābhirakṣaṇe

Translation

Bhishma berkata: “Apakah yang dapat aku lakukan dalam hal melindungi isteri guruku? Bagaimanakah mungkin aku bertindak untuk menjaganya dengan selamat?”

Word by Word

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: neuter, nominative/accusative, singular

• नु: indeed/then (interrogative particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नु

• शक्यम्: possible
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्य
• Form: neuter, nominative, singular

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: instrumental, singular

• कर्तुम्: to do
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: infinitive (tumun)

• गुरु-दार-अभिरक्षणे: in the protection of the teacher's wife
• गुरु-दार-अभिरक्षणे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरुदाराभिरक्षण
• Form: neuter, locative, singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• guru (teacher/preceptor)
• gurudārāḥ (the teacher’s wife)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical weight of guru-dharma: reverence for the teacher extends to safeguarding the teacher’s household, especially the teacher’s wife. It also conveys humility and moral seriousness—recognizing limits and seeking the right course when a duty is difficult.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma speaks in a reflective, questioning tone about his capacity to fulfill a specific obligation: protecting his preceptor’s wife. The line frames a dilemma of action and responsibility within the broader dharma-discourse of the Anushasana Parva.