Shloka 42

Vāsudeva-Māhātmya: Duryodhana’s Inquiry and Bhīṣma’s Theological Account of Keśava

Devanagari script

अयं स काल: सम्प्राप्त: पार्थ यस्तेडभिकाड्क्षित:

Transliteration

ayaṁ sa kālaḥ samprāptaḥ pārtha yasteḍabhikāḍkṣitaḥ

Translation

சஞ்சயன் கூறினான்—“ஓ பார்த்தா! நீ நீண்ட நாள் எதிர்நோக்கிய அந்தக் காலம் இப்போது வந்தடைந்தது.”

Word by Word

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सः: that (very)
• सः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कालः: time
• कालः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सम्प्राप्तः: has arrived / has come
• सम्प्राप्तः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-प्र-आप्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle)

• पार्थ: O Partha (Arjuna)
• पार्थ: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• यः: which / who
• यः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ते: of you / your
• ते: Sampradana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Genitive, Singular

• अभिकाङ्क्षितः: desired / longed for
• अभिकाङ्क्षितः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-काॄङ्क्ष्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Pārtha (Arjuna)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores kāla (the decisive, destined moment) as a moral and practical summons: when the awaited hour arrives, one must meet it with steadiness and readiness to act according to dharma rather than hesitation.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya, narrating events, addresses Arjuna (Pārtha) and marks a critical turning point: the long-anticipated moment for action in the war has arrived, signaling that deliberation must now give way to decisive engagement.