Shloka 10

Śara-śayyā-sthita-bhīṣma-saṃvāda-prastāvaḥ

The Prelude to Questioning Bhīṣma on the Bed of Arrows

Devanagari script

एष वृद्ध: पराल्लॉकान्‌ सम्प्राप्रोति तनुं त्यजन्‌ । तं शीघ्रमनुयुञ्जी ध्वं संशयान्‌ मनसि स्थितान्‌

Transliteration

eṣa vṛddhaḥ parāllokān samprāproti tanuṃ tyajan | taṃ śīghram anuyuñjīdhvaṃ saṃśayān manasi sthitān ||

Translation

Вайшампаяна сказал: «Этот Бхишма стал чрезвычайно стар и, оставив тело, вот-вот достигнет высших миров. Потому не медлите — вопрошайте его, излагайте сомнения, что всё ещё таятся в ваших умах».

Word by Word

• एषः: this (man)
• एषः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वृद्धः: old, aged
• वृद्धः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृद्ध
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• परान्: higher, superior
• परान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• लोकान्: worlds, realms
• लोकान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• सम्प्राप्नोति: attains, reaches
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-प्र-आप्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• तनुम्: body
• तनुम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: तनु
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• त्यजन्: leaving, abandoning
• त्यजन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्यज्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• शीघ्रम्: quickly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शीघ्र

• अनुयुञ्जीध्वम्: question (him), inquire (of him)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु-युज्
• Form: Imperative, Second, Plural, Ātmanepada

• संशयान्: doubts
• संशयान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• मनसि: in the mind
• मनसि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस्
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• स्थितान्: situated, present (in)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Accusative, Plural

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Bhīṣma
• higher worlds (parālloka)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Urgency in seeking dharma-knowledge: when a great teacher is near the end of life, one should promptly clarify lingering doubts, because such guidance shapes righteous conduct and governance.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana indicates that Bhīṣma is extremely old and nearing the moment of leaving his body and attaining higher realms; therefore the listeners are urged to quickly ask him the questions and doubts they still hold.