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Shloka 226

Bhīṣma’s Dream-Counsel and the Prasvāpa Astra (भीष्मस्वप्नदर्शनम् / प्रस्वापास्त्रोपदेशः)

Devanagari script

न त्वहं विनिवर्तिष्ये युद्धादस्मात्‌ कथंचन । “आजसे पहले भी मैं कभी किसी युद्धसे पीछे नहीं हटा हूँ। अतः: पितामहो! आपलोग अपनी इच्छाके अनुसार पहले गंगानन्दन भीष्मको ही युद्धसे निवृत्त कीजिये। मैं किसी प्रकार पहले स्वयं ही इस युद्धसे पीछे नहीं हटूँगा”

Transliteration

na tv ahaṁ vinivartiṣye yuddhād asmāt kathaṁcana |

Translation

न त्वहं विनिवर्तिष्ये युद्धादस्मात्कथञ्चन । न हि पूर्वं कदाचिद्युद्धात्पृष्ठतोऽभवम् । तस्मान्नाहं स्वयमेव प्रथमो युद्धान्निवर्ते । यदि मां युद्धात्पितामहाः निवर्तयितुमिच्छन्ति, तदा गङ्गानन्दनं भीष्ममेव पूर्वं निवर्तयन्तु; नाहं कथञ्चन स्वेच्छया रणं त्यक्ष्यामि ॥

Word by Word

नnot

तुbut/indeed

अहम्I

विनिवर्तिष्येI will turn back/withdraw

युद्धात्from battle

अस्मात्from this

कथंचनin any way/at all

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

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 highlights steadfastness to one’s chosen duty (kṣatriya-dharma) and the ethical weight of vows: Bhishma treats withdrawal as a breach of lifelong martial commitment unless he is formally released by rightful authority.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Udyoga Parva’s pre-war deliberations, Bhishma speaks to affirm that he will not personally step back from the coming conflict; if others want him removed from combat, they must explicitly relieve him rather than expect voluntary retreat.