Shloka 23

Bhīṣma–Śiśupāla-saṃvādaḥ

Bhishma and Shishupala’s exchange in the assembly

Devanagari script

तां त्वयापि हतां भीष्म कन्यां नैषितवान्‌ यतः । भ्राता विचित्रवीर्यस्ते सतां मार्गमनुछित:

Transliteration

tāṃ tvayāpi hatāṃ bhīṣma kanyāṃ naiṣitavān yataḥ | bhrātā vicitravīryas te satāṃ mārgam anucchitaḥ ||

Translation

ਭੀਸ਼ਮ! ਤੇਰੇ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਅਪਹਰਿਤ ਉਸ ਕੁੜੀ ਨੂੰ ਵੀ ਤੇਰੇ ਭਰਾ ਵਿਚਿਤ੍ਰਵੀਰਯ ਨੇ ਪਤਨੀ ਵਜੋਂ ਸਵੀਕਾਰ ਨਾ ਕੀਤਾ, ਕਿਉਂਕਿ ਉਹ ਸੱਜਣਾਂ ਦੇ ਧਰਮ-ਮਾਰਗ ਉੱਤੇ ਅਡੋਲ ਸੀ।

Word by Word

• ताम्: that (her)
• ताम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: —, Instrumental, Singular

• अपि: also/even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• हताम्: seized/forcibly taken (lit. struck)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हन्
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular, Past passive participle (क्त)

• भीष्म: O Bhishma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• कन्याम्: maiden/princess
• कन्याम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्या
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• एषितवान्: desired/sought
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष्
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• यतः: because/since
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतः

• भ्राता: brother
• भ्राता: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रातृ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• विचित्रवीर्यः: Vichitravirya
• विचित्रवीर्यः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: विचित्रवीर्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ते: your
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: —, Genitive, Singular

• सताम्: of the good/virtuous
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• मार्गम्: path/way
• मार्गम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्ग
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अनुचितः: conforming to/following
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुचित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भीष्म: O Bhishma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

शिशुपाल उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Śiśupāla
• Vicitravīrya
• Kāśirāja
• Kāśī (implied by Kāśirāja)
• the Kāśi princess (kanyā)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames ethical legitimacy in marriage: even if a woman is obtained by force, a righteous person should not accept what violates the moral path of the virtuous (satām mārga).

What is happening in the narrative?

Śiśupāla addresses Bhīṣma, accusing him regarding the abduction of a Kāśi princess and asserting that Vicitravīrya refused to marry her because he adhered to righteous conduct.