Shloka 16

Ādi-parva Adhyāya 141: Bhīma–Hiḍimba Confrontation and Protective Discourse

Devanagari script

प्रेतकार्याणि च तथा चकार सह बान्धवै: । पाण्डवानां तथा क्षत्ता भीष्मश्न कुरुसत्तम:,उन्होंने, विदुरजीने तथा कुरुकुलशिरोमणि भीष्मजीने भी भाई-बन्धुओंके साथ (पुत्तल-विधिसे) पाण्डवोंके प्रेतकार्य (दाह और श्राद्ध आदि) सम्पन्न किये

Transliteration

Vaiśampāyana uvāca: pretakāryāṇi ca tathā cakāra saha bāndhavaiḥ | pāṇḍavānāṃ tathā kṣattā bhīṣmaś ca kurusattamaḥ ||

Translation

అనంతరం బంధువులతో కలిసి పాండవుల ప్రేతకార్యాలు (దాహం, శ్రాద్ధాది) కూడా విధివిధానంగా నిర్వహించబడ్డాయి; క్షత్తా విదురుడు మరియు కురుశ్రేష్ఠుడు భీష్ముడు ఆ కర్తవ్యాన్ని నెరవేర్చారు।

Word by Word

प्रेतकार्याणिfuneral rites

चand

तथाthus; likewise

चकारdid; performed

सहtogether with

बान्धवैःwith kinsmen/relatives

पाण्डवानाम्of the Pāṇḍavas

तथाlikewise

क्षत्ताthe chamberlain (Vidura)

भीष्मःBhīṣma

कुरुसत्तमःbest of the Kurus

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Pāṇḍavas

Vidura (Kṣattā)

Bhīṣma

Kuru lineage

bāndhava (kinsmen/relatives)

pretakārya (funerary rites)

śrāddha (implied by context/tradition)

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 dharma as social and familial responsibility: elders and relatives must ensure proper funerary rites (pretakārya), maintaining moral order and honoring the dead regardless of personal sorrow or political complications.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates that Vidura (the kṣattā) and Bhīṣma, along with other relatives, performed the Pāṇḍavas’ prescribed funerary rites—cremation and subsequent śrāddha-type observances—according to custom.