Shloka 29

भीष्मरक्षण-प्रकरणम् / The Protective Screen around Bhīṣma and the Śalya–Yudhiṣṭhira Clash

Devanagari script

निर्वेद परमं गत्वा विनिन्द्य परवश्यताम्‌ | दीर्घ दध्यौ शान्तनवो योद्धुकामोअ<र्जुनं रणे

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | nirvedaṃ paramaṃ gatvā vinindya paravaśyatām | dīrghaṃ dadhyau śāntanavo yoddhukāmo 'rjunaṃ raṇe ||

Translation

Sañjaya disse: Tendo caído no mais profundo remorso e, após condenar com veemência a condição de estar sob o domínio de outrem, o filho de Śāntanu (Bhīṣma) refletiu por longo tempo, decidido a combater Arjuna no campo de batalha.

Word by Word

• निर्वेदम्: despondency, remorse
• निर्वेदम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: निर्वेद
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• परमम्: supreme, utmost
• परमम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• गत्वा: having gone/attained
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral)

• विनिन्द्य: having censured
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-निन्द्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral)

• परवश्यताम्: dependence on another, subjection
• परवश्यताम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: परवश्यता
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• दीर्घम्: for a long time (lit. long)
• दीर्घम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीर्घ
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• दध्यौ: he pondered, reflected
• Type: Verb
• Root: ध्यै
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• शान्तनवः: the son of Śantanu (Bhīṣma)
• शान्तनवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शान्तनव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• योद्धुकामः: desirous of fighting
• योद्धुकामः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: योद्धुकाम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अर्जुनम्: Arjuna
• अर्जुनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्जुन
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• रणे: in battle
• रणे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• Bhishma (Shantanava)
• Shantanu
• Arjuna
• battlefield (raṇa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse foregrounds the ethical tension between personal moral discomfort (nirveda) and compelled obligation (paravaśyatā). Bhīṣma condemns subjection to another’s will, yet, bound by his vows and role, he channels his reflection into a determined acceptance of battle-duty, illustrating how agency can be constrained by prior commitments.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya reports Bhīṣma’s state of mind: he experiences profound regret, criticizes the condition of being controlled by others, then thinks deeply for a long time and finally resolves to fight Arjuna in the war.