Shanti Parva Adhyaya 171 Shloka 18 - Mahabharata | Sanskrit | Vedapath

Vyasa

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Shloka 18

निर्वेदोपदेशः (Nirveda-Upadeśa) — Maṅki’s Dispassion and the Limits of Wealth-Seeking

Devanagari script

चन्दनागुरुमुख्यानि त्वक्पत्राणां वनानि च । तस्मिन्‌ पथि महाराज सेवमानो द्रुतं ययौ

Transliteration

candana-aguru-mukhyāni tvak-patrāṇāṁ vanāni ca | tasmin pathi mahārāja sevamāno drutaṁ yayau |

Translation

भीष्म उवाच—महाराज, तस्मिन् पथि त्वक्पत्रवनानि चन्दनागुरुमुख्यानि च सन्ति स्म। स तत्र तत्र विश्रम्य, यथेष्टं मधुरफलानि अमृतोपमानि भुञ्जानः, द्रुतं शीघ्रं चाग्रे ययौ।

Word by Word

चन्दनsandalwood

अगुरुaloeswood (aguru)

मुख्यानिchief, predominant

चन्दनागुरुमुख्यानिhaving sandalwood and aguru as the chief (trees)

त्वक्bark; (here) cinnamon

पत्राणाम्of leaves; (here) of tejapatra (bay leaves)

त्वक्पत्राणाम्of cinnamon and bay-leaves (tejapatra)

वनानिforests, groves

चand

तस्मिन्in that

पथिon the path

महाराजO great king

सेवमानःenjoying/resorting to

द्रुतम्quickly

ययौwent

राजन्O king

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

Mahārāja (the king addressed, i.e., Yudhiṣṭhira)

candana (sandalwood)

aguru (agarwood)

tvakpatra-vanāni (groves of aromatic leaf/bark trees; bay-leaf/tejapatra forests)

patha (the road/path)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse uses serene forest imagery to underscore disciplined progress: one may take lawful rest and refreshment on the way, yet continue one’s duty-bound journey without slackening—moving forward with steadiness and purpose.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma describes a traveler proceeding along a route lined with fragrant groves dominated by sandalwood and agaru; he pauses there for respite as he travels, and then continues onward swiftly.