Shloka 4

Ādi Parva, Adhyāya 103 — Dhṛtarāṣṭra–Gāndhārī Vivāha: Proposal, Consent, and the Vow

Devanagari script

ततः स रथियनां श्रेष्ठो रथेनैकेन शत्रुजित्‌ । जगामानुमते मातु: पुरीं वाराणसीं प्रभु:,तब माता सत्यवतीकी आज्ञा ले रथियोंमें श्रेष्ठ शत्रुविजयी भीष्म एकमात्र रथके साथ वाराणसीपुरीको गये

Transliteration

tataḥ sa rathināṃ śreṣṭho rathenaikena śatrujit | jagāmānumate mātuḥ purīṃ vārāṇasīṃ prabhuḥ ||

Translation

అనంతరం రథవీరులలో శ్రేష్ఠుడైన, శత్రుజయుడైన భీష్ముడు తల్లి సత్యవతీ అనుమతి పొందించి, ఒక్క రథంతోనే ప్రభువులా వారాణసీ నగరానికి బయలుదేరాడు.

Word by Word

ततःthen, thereafter

सःhe

रथिनाम्of chariot-warriors

श्रेष्ठःthe best

रथेनby/with a chariot

एकेनwith one (single)

शत्रुजित्enemy-conquering (conqueror of foes)

जगामwent

अनुमतेwith the consent/permission (in the permission)

मातुःof (his) mother

पुरीम्to the city

वाराणसीम्Varanasi

प्रभुःthe lord, the mighty one

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

Satyavatī

Vārāṇasī (Kāśī)

chariot

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 acting with sanctioned authority and respect for elders: even a powerful hero proceeds after obtaining his mother’s consent, aligning personal prowess with dharma and family governance.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates that Bhīṣma, the foremost chariot-warrior, departs in a single chariot for Vārāṇasī after receiving Satyavatī’s permission—setting up the events connected with the Kāśī princesses.