Shloka 54

Adhyāya 55: Pārtha–Rādheya Saṃvāda and Tactical Exchange

Chapter 55

Devanagari script

इस प्रकार श्रीमह्याभारत विराटपर्वके अन्तर्गत गोहरणपर्वमें उत्तरगोग्रहके समय कर्णका युद्ध पलायनविषयक चौवनवाँ अध्याय पूरा हुआ

Transliteration

iti prakāraṃ śrīmahābhārate virāṭaparvaṇi antar-gata-goharaṇaparvaṇi uttaragograha-samaye karṇasya yuddha-palāyana-viṣayakaś catuḥpañcāśattamo 'dhyāyaḥ samāptaḥ | yastu nīlānusāreṇa pañcatāreṇa ketunā | hastāvāpī bṛhaddhanvā rathe tiṣṭhati vīryavān |

Translation

ବୈଶମ୍ପାୟନ କହିଲେ—ଏହିପରି ଶ୍ରୀମହାଭାରତର ବିରାଟପର୍ବାନ୍ତର୍ଗତ ଗୋହରଣପର୍ବରେ, ଉତ୍ତରଙ୍କ ଗୋଗ୍ରହଣ ସମୟରେ କର୍ଣ୍ଣଙ୍କ ଯୁଦ୍ଧପଲାୟନ ବର୍ଣ୍ଣନାକାରୀ ଚଉଵନତମ ଅଧ୍ୟାୟ ସମାପ୍ତ ହେଲା। ଏବେ ଯେ ମହାବୀର ନୀଳବର୍ଣ୍ଣର, ପାଞ୍ଚ ତାରାର ଚିହ୍ନଯୁକ୍ତ ପତାକାଧାରୀ ରଥରେ ଦଣ୍ଡାୟମାନ—ହସ୍ତରେ ରକ୍ଷାକବଚ ପିନ୍ଧି, ବୃହତ୍ ଧନୁ ଧାରଣ କରି, ଦିବ୍ୟ ଚିହ୍ନରେ ବିଚିତ୍ର ଧ୍ୱଜରେ ଶୋଭିତ, ମସ୍ତକରେ ଉଜ୍ଜ୍ୱଳ ଶ୍ୱେତ ଛତ୍ର ଧାରଣ କରି, ସୂର୍ଯ୍ୟ-ଚନ୍ଦ୍ର ସମ ଦୀପ୍ତ ସୁବର୍ଣ୍ଣ କବଚ ଓ ସୁବର୍ଣ୍ଣ ଶିରସ୍ତ୍ରାଣରେ ଜ୍ୟୋତିର୍ମୟ—ସେଇ ଶାନ୍ତନୁନନ୍ଦନ ଭୀଷ୍ମ, ଆମ ସମସ୍ତଙ୍କ ପିତାମହ, ରଥୀମାନଙ୍କ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ। କିନ୍ତୁ ରାଜ୍ୟଲକ୍ଷ୍ମୀରେ ସମ୍ପନ୍ନ ହୋଇ ମଧ୍ୟ ଦୁର୍ଯ୍ୟୋଧନଙ୍କ ଅଧୀନ ରହିବାରୁ ମୋ ମନ ଶୋକରେ ସନ୍ତପ୍ତ ହୁଏ।

Word by Word

• यः: who
• यः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• नीलानुसारेण: with/according to the blue (marking/stripe)
• नीलानुसारेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नीलानुसार
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• पञ्चतारेण: with the five-star(-marked)
• पञ्चतारेण: Karana
• Type: Noun/Adjective
• Root: पञ्चतार
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• केतुना: with a banner/standard
• केतुना: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: केतु
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• हस्तावापी: wearing hand-guards/gloves
• हस्तावापी: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हस्तावापिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• बृहद्धन्वा: having a great bow
• बृहद्धन्वा: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बृहद्धन्वन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• रथे: in/on the chariot
• रथे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• तिष्ठति: stands/remains
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• वीर्यवान्: valorous/powerful
• वीर्यवान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वीर्यवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• Mahābhārata
• Virāṭa Parva
• Goharaṇa Parva (cattle-seizure episode)
• Uttara
• Karṇa
• Bhīṣma
• Śāntanu
• Duryodhana
• chariot (ratha)
• banner/standard (ketu)
• white parasol (chatra)
• golden armor (kavaca)
• helmet (śirastāṇa/śirastrāṇa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The passage highlights the ethical strain when a virtuous, illustrious elder (Bhīṣma) remains bound by allegiance and political obligation to a flawed ruler (Duryodhana). It invites reflection on dharma: whether duty to a throne or vow can justify serving an unrighteous cause, and how such service can become a source of sorrow even when performed with discipline and honor.

What is happening in the narrative?

This is a chapter-colophon and transition: it closes the chapter describing Karṇa’s retreat during the cattle-raid conflict involving Uttara, then begins a vivid identification of the mighty chariot-warrior—Bhīṣma—describing his banner, weapons, and regal insignia, and commenting on the poignancy that he fights under Duryodhana’s command.