Shloka 49

Dāyavibhāga (Inheritance Apportionment) and Household Precedence — Dialogue of Yudhiṣṭhira and Bhīṣma

Devanagari script

पाणिग्रहीता वान्य: स्यादत्र नो धर्मसंशय: । तन्नश्छिन्धि महाप्राज्ञ त्वं हि वै प्राज्ञसम्मत:

Transliteration

pāṇigrahītā vānyaḥ syād atra no dharma-saṁśayaḥ | tan naś chindhi mahāprājña tvaṁ hi vai prājña-sammataḥ ||

Translation

“ଏହି ବିଷୟରେ ଆମର ଧର୍ମସନ୍ଦେହ—ଶୁଳ୍କ ନିଶ୍ଚିତ କରି କନ୍ୟାକୁ ଗ୍ରହଣ କରିବାକୁ ଥିବା ପୁରୁଷ ମୃତ୍ୟୁବରଣ କଲେ, ଅନ୍ୟ କେହି ପାଣିଗ୍ରହୀତା (ବୈଧ ପତି) ହୋଇପାରିବ କି? ହେ ମହାପ୍ରାଜ୍ଞ, ଆମ ସନ୍ଦେହ ଛେଦନ କରନ୍ତୁ; କାରଣ ଆପଣ ପ୍ରାଜ୍ଞମାନଙ୍କ ଦ୍ୱାରା ସମ୍ମତ।”

Word by Word

• पाणिग्रहीता: the one who takes the hand (husband)
• पाणिग्रहीता: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाणिग्रहीतृ (पाणि + √ग्रह्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

• अन्यः: another (person)
• अन्यः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• स्यात्: may be / could be
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (भू)
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• अत्र: here / in this matter
• अत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र

• नः: of us / our
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Genitive, Plural

• धर्मसंशयः: doubt regarding dharma
• धर्मसंशयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मसंशय (धर्म + संशय)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तत्: that (doubt/matter)
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• नः: for us / to us
• नः: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Dative, Plural

• छिन्धि: cut off / remove (resolve)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √छिद्
• Form: Imperative (Lot), 2nd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• महाप्राज्ञ: O very wise one
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाप्राज्ञ (महा + प्राज्ञ)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: —, Nominative, Singular

• हि: indeed / for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• वै: indeed / surely
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

• प्राज्ञसम्मतः: approved/esteemed by the wise
• प्राज्ञसम्मतः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राज्ञसम्मत (प्राज्ञ + सम्मत)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames a dharma-question: when customary arrangements (such as securing a bride) are disrupted by death, one must seek authoritative guidance to determine what is righteous and socially valid—especially regarding who may lawfully perform pāṇigraha (the marriage hand-taking).

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma presents a case of legal-ethical uncertainty about marriage: whether, after the intended bridegroom (who had secured the bride) dies, another man may take her hand in marriage. He asks a recognized authority to resolve the doubt.