Shloka 203

भीष्मदर्शनार्थं प्रस्थानम्

Departure to Behold Bhīṣma

Devanagari script

मेघघोषै रथवरै: प्रययुस्ते नरर्षभा: । रथपर बैठे-बैठे ही उन सबने बातचीत की, और एक-दूसरेसे रात्रिके सुखपूर्वक व्यतीत होनेका कुशल-समाचार पूछा। फिर वे नरश्रेष्ठ मेघगर्जनाके समान गम्भीर घोष करनेवाले श्रेष्ठ रथोंद्वारा वहाँसे चल पड़े

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | meghaghoṣai rathavaraiḥ prayayus te nararṣabhāḥ |

Translation

Vaiśampāyana berkata: “Para lelaki gagah itu berangkat, meninggalkan tempat itu dengan rata-rata unggul yang berdentum dalam, laksana guruh awan. Sambil duduk di atas rata, mereka berbual dan saling bertanya khabar dengan sopan tentang kesejahteraan serta keselesaan malam yang telah berlalu. Lalu para insan terpilih itu pun meneruskan perjalanan dengan rata yang bergema seperti guntur.”

Word by Word

मेघघोषैःwith cloud-thundering (i.e., thunderous) [ones]

रथवरैःwith excellent chariots

प्रययुःthey went forth / departed

तेthey

नरर्षभाःbulls among men / best of men

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

excellent chariots (rathavarāḥ)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

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.