Shloka 4

Devanagari script

नतु शस्त्र ग्रहीष्यामि कथंचिदपि भाविनि | ऋते नियोगाद्‌ विप्राणामेष मे समय: कृत:

Transliteration

na tu śastraṁ grahīṣyāmi kathaṁcid api bhāvini | ṛte niyogād viprāṇām eṣa me samayaḥ kṛtaḥ |

Translation

न तु शस्त्रं ग्रहीष्यामि कथञ्चिदपि भाविनि, ऋते नियोगाद् विप्राणाम्—एष मे कृतः समयः।

Word by Word

नnot

तुbut/indeed

शस्त्रम्weapon

ग्रहीष्यामिI shall take/accept

कथम्how

चित्ever/at all (enclitic)

अपिeven/also

भाविनिin the future/when the future comes

ऋतेexcept/without

नियोगात्from an injunction/command; by order (lit. except from an order)

विप्राणाम्of the Brahmins

एषःthis

मेmy/of me

समयःvow/pledge/compact

कृतःmade/undertaken

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

viprāḥ (brāhmaṇas)

śastra (weapons)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the primacy of a solemn vow (samaya) and disciplined restraint: even a warrior like Bhīṣma sets limits on violence, allowing it only under a higher dharmic injunction—here, the authoritative command of brāhmaṇas.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma declares a firm resolution regarding warfare: he will not take up weapons at all, unless specifically directed by brāhmaṇas. The statement frames his conduct as governed by a prior pledge rather than by impulse or circumstance.